


The Way To You

by riotoftime



Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Implied/Referenced Cheating, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-30
Updated: 2016-11-10
Packaged: 2018-03-04 10:36:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 54,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3064640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/riotoftime/pseuds/riotoftime
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sanji has made a terrible mistake and it has cost him what he values most: his relationship with Zoro.  Now Zoro’s left without a trace and Sanji is desperate to find him.  Modern AU. ZoSan</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Sitting at the oak dining room table, Sanji drums his fingers on the surface anxiously. He taps his cigarette into the overflowing ashtray and brings it to his lips, inhaling the smoke deeply. He doesn't normally smoke inside – it makes the apartment smell disgusting – but today he's made an exception. He checks the gold watch on his wrist for the hundredth time in the last hour and sighs. It's quarter till seven and Zoro will be home soon. He glances around the spacious apartment from his seat. The open floor plan is Sanji's favorite thing about their place. The kitchen has a bar that opens in the dining room, which flows into the living room. There's a small hall towards the back that leads to the two bedrooms and bathroom. They've been living here for about a year now.

He glances at his watch again, just till ten minutes till seven. He is supposed to be at work right now – it's the middle of dinner rush. He has a sous chef position at the Baratie, the head chef being his adoptive father. But he called out this afternoon, lied to the old man and told him he wasn't feeling well. Told Zeff he has a stomach virus that's probably contagious, knowing the only way that shitty geezer would let him out of work is if he could hurt the customers. It wasn't a complete lie, though. He feels fucking awful. His head is pounding and his heart is aching and he's thrown up the entire contents of his stomach twice. Not that his stomach has been all too full, however. He hasn't been eating much the past few days.

He groans and lays his forehead on the cool tabletop, wishing he could be at work. Wishing he were sweating in the kitchen heat, screaming at his subordinates, creating delicious food for customers. Wishing so badly that tonight didn't have to happen – that three nights ago hadn't happened at all. Guilt and shame wracked his entire being the past few days, rendering him unable to function properly. He'd barely held it together when Zoro came back in town last night. Thankfully, he had to work today and Sanji hadn't had to interact with him at all other than a sleepy 'welcome home' in the middle of the night and a goodbye kiss this morning.

The apartment is completely dark – the only light coming from the tip of the cigarette resting between his fingers. He isn't sure how such a warm, inviting place could seem so cold. He loves his home with Zoro, they had picked it out together and he decorated it himself. They both previously lived in small studio apartments before Sanji had decided they should move in together. Frowning, he recalls when renting together was first approached.

"I need my own space, cook. Don't we see enough of each other as is?" Zoro had asked when Sanji brought it up the first time. It was true; they did see each other all the time. After spending so much of their friendship hating each other – or pretending to hate each other, really – when they finally started dating, they made up on lost time. Sanji would either stay at Zoro's place or Zoro would crash at his. They had clothes strewn between both homes and it was maddening to Sanji not knowing whether something was at his apartment or Zoro's.

"Having to pay two separate rents is a waste of money, mossy." Sanji had explained to him, slightly annoyed at the uncertainty. He knew Zoro was private and quiet, the man never really wanted to have company or socialize. However, this was just Sanji. His boyfriend. He didn't expect the idiot to be reluctant.

In the end, after a few weeks of listening to Sanji reason why it was the better option to live together, Zoro caved and they went apartment hunting. After viewing several places that Sanji deemed unsuitable for a home together, they finally stumbled across this complex. One look inside was all they needed to sign the paperwork. It was just beautiful. Newly remodeled with hardwood floors, high ceilings, spacious kitchen - Sanji instantly fell in love. One quick look at the spare bedroom that they agreed could be a weight room and Zoro gave his nod of approval. Though he'd never admit it, watching Zoro scrawl his signature on the leasing agreement with a grin on his face was one of the happiest moments of Sanji's life.

Sighing at the memory, he stubs out his cigarette and gets up from his chair stretching, hearing his back crack after hours of inactivity. He frowns at the pile of cigarette butts in and around the ashtray but can't be bothered to clean it up. Slowly walking across the room, he traces his long fingers across the wall as he goes. He moves down the hall and enters the doorway of the bathroom, flipping the light switch. Light floods the spacious bathroom and spills out into the hall. Sanji glances at the shower – it was another selling point of this place. It's huge, with dual showerheads and a small bench. It has enough space for two people, even ones as bulky as the muscled mosshead, to shower comfortably. Memories flash before his eyes, Zoro's mouth on his wet skin, his hands clawing at the pebbled walls, laughing at Zoro getting soap in his eyes. Shaking his head violently, he turns away from the shower and gazes at his reflection in the mirror instead.

His pale skin seems even paler than normal, almost translucent. His blond hair is a total mess from hours of running his hands through it and his one visible eye is sunken, with dark bags underneath. He's wearing a wrinkled, black t-shirt he found at the bottom of his dresser and a pair of grey sweatpants, completely unlike his normal pristine attire of button up shirts and dress pants. Hearing the front door open, his breath hitches. Quickly, he turns off the bathroom light and walks down the hall, stopping to peek around the corner and watch Zoro place his keys on the small table set up by the door.

Zoro kicks off his boots and turns the lights on, frowning when he spots the overflowing ashtray on the dining room table.

"Cook? You home?" he calls out. Sanji freezes in place, unsure if he wants to be seen quite yet as the ache in his chest is getting more and more unbearable. Zoro looks in the kitchen and frowns deeper, stopping to scratch the back of his head in confusion. Sanji takes a deep breath, resolving it would do neither of them any good to put this off any longer.

"Hey, you're home" he says dumbly, appearing from the hallway. Zoro visibly relaxes for a second and then looks puzzled, taking in Sanji's haggard appearance.

"You look like shit. Aren't you supposed to be at work right now?" he asks, glancing at the wall clock.

"I, uh, called out…" the Sanji answers, and moves to settle back into his seat at the dining room table. Zoro just grunts and wanders into the bedroom. Sanji chews on his bottom lip and decides to light up a smoke and wait for him. He reappears in a clean shirt and a pair of old jeans, the kind that Sanji yells at him for not throwing away. Scowling slightly at seeing the blond smoking inside, he makes his way into the kitchen and grabs a beer. He sits in the chair next to Sanji and twists the cap off, taking a huge gulp and sighing contentedly after swallowing.

"So, you gonna tell me why you're at home looking like shit and smoking in the house?" Zoro inquires after a moment. Sanji sets down his cigarette and rubs his face with his hands, pushing his fringe up off his forehead for a moment before letting it fall back into place. Might as well get it over with.

"We need to talk. I have something I need to tell you, Zoro."

His lover seems a little surprised at the use of his name. They usually tease each other with insults and those insults eventually became pet names. Sanji almost never says his name in regular conversation, opting for things like 'idiot,' 'bastard', and 'mossy' or 'mosshead' instead.

"Fucking shit…" he mutters under his breath, breathing in deeply and exhaling slowly through his nose. He feels like he's going to vomit again. Tilting is head up, Zoro's one remaining brown eye catches his blue one. Sanji can read confusion and concern in his look and he instantly feels worthless and miserable.

"You know how this past weekend you were out of town?" Sanji begins slowly, his voice cracking at the end. This is quite possibly the hardest thing he's ever had to do.

"Uh, yeah, what about it? What's going on, cook?" Zoro's brow furrows. Sanji can't look him in the eye anymore and turns to stare at a picture on their bookshelf instead.

This is it.

"I… I cheated on you," he says softly. Even though he should feel like a burden has been lifted from confessing, he doesn't. He feels like he's suffocating. Suffocating with guilt. His eyes water as the silence of the apartment becomes deafening. He remains still, keeping his gaze steady on the picture. It's a beautiful photo of them, completely candid. Their friend Usopp had taken it when a bunch of their friends went to the beach this past summer. They're standing next to each other with the ocean in the background, Zoro laughing and Sanji grinning at him, eyes full of love.

"I'm really sorry," he whispers, unsure of what else he could say. He braces himself for the anger, the backlash, the yelling, but it never comes. The space around them remains silent and still. Zoro doesn't move, not even flinch. Sanji gulps and turns slowly, letting his gaze fall onto his green-haired partner.

Zoro is rigid, his expression blank. He's staring hard at Sanji, but his eye isn't really focused on him. He's somewhere else, somewhere far, far away. Sanji's own eyes fill with tears again but he bites his bottom lip, refusing to let them spill. He wishes Zoro would say something. Scream at him, insult him, even punch him, but the mosshead isn't doing anything at all. Somehow it makes Sanji feel even worse. He shifts uncomfortably in his seat and reaches into his pocket for his smokes. He lights one and takes a calming puff while waiting for Zoro to react. But he never does. Sanji waits throughout the duration of the cigarette and by the time he stubs out the butt, Zoro hasn't moved once.

He opens his mouth to apologize again but is cut off when Zoro suddenly reaches a tan hand forward and grabs his collar, bringing their faces close. He asks in a low voice that's so calm it's almost dangerous, "What do you mean?"

Sanji blinks and leans away from Zoro to study his face. His jaw is clenched and his eye wide, waiting for an answer. Sanji almost chokes over the hurt painted on his boyfriend's face. He pulls free of Zoro's hold and wraps his arms around himself, completely crumbling.

"It means I had sex with someone else."

Zoro sits back in his chair and looks completely dumbstruck, staring at Sanji as if he were a stranger. He rubs his eyes with the palm of his hand and keeps them covered, mulling over the information.

"I was at a bar and really drunk and – " Sanji starts to explain but Zoro holds up a hand, signaling for him to stop. He clamps his jaw shut. He knew Zoro wouldn't take the information well but this is a drastically different reaction than what he had anticipated. Yelling, screaming, physical violence, even crying… he deserves all of that. But Zoro just remains sitting there, eyes covered with the palm of his hand, body rigid. Sanji studies the man before him, the man he loves more than anything, and feels so much shame. Shame for what he's done and shame for what he's brought upon their relationship. Things may never, ever be the same because of one stupid, fucked up mistake.

Silently, Zoro stands and moves to their storage closet by the front door. He opens it and digs around, pulling out a duffle bag. Sanji's heart jumps to his throat. He knows the man probably just needs some time to think things over, some time away from him. But it still hurts – it hurts so much. Tears fill his blue eyes and for the first time, he doesn't even try to keep them from spilling out. He cries silently from his chair and watches as the love of his life stalks from the closet to the bedroom. He begins to sob quietly as he hears dresser drawers open and the rustling of clothing being shoved into the bag. Zoro moves from the bedroom to the work out room and he listens to the distinct sound of three sheathed swords being placed into their travel case. They're Zoro's most prized possessions.

He grasps the edge of the table and clutches it so tightly he could swear he'll break it any second. He wants so badly to race into the bedroom and scream a million apologies and try to force Zoro to stay. But he knows it would be futile and would only serve to push Zoro further away. His boyfriend, or possibly ex-boyfriend, emerges from the hallway with duffle bag and swords case slung over his shoulder and calmly trudges to the door, stopping to pull on his boots and pick up his keys. Sanji's eyes follow him every step of the way and he's sure that Zoro is going to leave without sparing even a second glance. His hand hesitates at the doorknob though, and Sanji's heart stops completely as Zoro turns back to look at him one last time.

His handsome face wears a wounded look that expresses so much anger, so much sorrow, and so much betrayal. The gravity of the situation fully weighs in on Sanji's heart as he makes eye contact with his lover for a brief second and sees how much grief he's caused. Zoro wordlessly turns back around and opens the door, disappearing into the night, leaving just the soft click of the latch to follow.

Blinking at where Zoro was just standing, Sanji let's the breath he doesn't realize he's holding escape him. He stands and staggers to the door, ghosting his fingers over the handle. He wants – needs – to run after Zoro. Needs to plead and beg for him to come back and talk things over. Needs to know things will be okay. Shaking his head he reaches up and turns the deadbolt, locking himself in. He spins and presses his back against the wood and closes his eyes, slowly sliding down to the floor. Stretching his long legs out in front of himself, he holds his hands open in his lap, staring at his palms. Willing himself not to cry anymore, he concentrates on breathing for a few minutes before the pressure in is chest is too much for him to handle and he swears he feels like he's going to die.

He jolts up and scrambles into the kitchen, barely reaching the sink before retching loudly. His stomach is completely empty so he continues to dry heave a few more times before stopping and wiping the saliva off of his chin. Knuckles white from gripping the counters' edge so tightly, cheeks tear stained and heart aching, Sanji breaks.

His screams are loud and animalistic, echoing through the apartment. He's long past caring if the neighbors call in a noise complaint. He rips his hands from the counters edge and grabs the closet object – the coffee pot – and flings it against the wall, causing it to break and shatter into thousands of pieces. He starts opening up the cabinets and pulling out piles of dishware, flinging them onto the ground, stepping on the glass shards as he continues his assault on the kitchen. He spots a photo he has hanging on the wall next to the stove and pauses, breathing heavily. The glass crunches under his shoes as he steps closer to the picture entranced, not even blinking once. Stopping before it, he stares, taking the image in; it's him sitting on Zoro's lap, smiling at the camera bright and happy with Zoro beneath him, hands wrapped around his waist and grinning, too. But Zoro's eyes aren't on the camera; they're looking up adoringly at Sanji's face.

He glares at the photo and feels so much hatred for himself it's sickening. Hates himself for ruining the happiness they had, for making such a stupid fucking decision, for letting the best thing in his life walk out the door. He balls his hand into a fist and punches the photograph as hard as he can. The picture frame shatters and he can feel shards of glass sticking into the skin of his knuckles. He pulls back and slams his fist into the photo again, right into his stupid, fucking face. The face of an idiot who doesn't know what he has until it's gone. The photo and frame fall to the ground but Sanji continues punching the wall where it was just hanging, not giving a shit about his bleeding knuckles or the tears rolling down his face.

xXx

Strong hands cup his cheeks, thumbs tracing slow and soothing circles over his cheekbones. Face so close that moist breath can be felt against his lips, as comforting words are whispered, "you stupid love-cook, what would I do without you?"

Soft lips press lightly against his own, placing small kisses teasingly, leaving him wanting more. He reaches his hand up and runs his fingers through soft, spiky hair, knowing its unique green shade without having to open his eyes. Opening his mouth to nip at the bottom lip brushing against his, he lets out a surprised gasp when the source of those perfect kisses pulls away. Warm mouth moves to suck on his earlobe and he gets a sudden chill when a breathy sigh blows on the wetness. A deep, rumbling voice murmurs, "How could you ever doubt me?"

Perfect, straight teeth nibble along the edge of his ear the way that makes his body light on fire. He pulls hard on the short strands of hair and guides his lover's lips to his own for a slow, passionate kiss. It ends abruptly when the other man pulls away to speak again, this time his voice full of sadness, "Why did you decide you don't love me anymore?"

Sanji's heart drops and he his brow furrows, "What are you talking about? I do love you. Zoro –" He reaches out to wrap his arms around the source of the voice but he only grasps air. Opening his eyes he realizes he's laying in the dark living room on his plush sofa, completely alone.

It's been five days since Zoro left.

Ignoring the throbbing in his hand, he pulls himself up in a sitting position, reaching for his phone to check the time. The screen flashes brightly, 6:23 a.m. Groaning, he runs a hand through his unkempt hair and decides to go ahead and get up for the day. He won't be able to go back to sleep, anyway. Not after that dream.

He's dreamt of Zoro every night since he left. Unable to even look at their shared bed, Sanji has set up camp in the living room and slept on the sofa, tossing and turning through every night. He unlocks his phone and scrolls through it, making sure he hasn't missed a single call or text that could be from Zoro. Tossing the phone on the floor once he sees no one's contacted him, he nonchalantly picks at the bandages wrapped around his right hand, convincing himself to not be disappointed. Zoro hasn't contacted him at all since he walked out the door.

It's not like Sanji has called or texted him, either. He's tried, several times, usually picking up his phone and staring at the name "Mossy" in his contact book for several minutes before giving up and locking the screen again. Pride hasn't allowed him to call first, knowing that Zoro will contact him when he's good and ready. But it's been five fucking days.

"Fuck it. I'll call him today," he resolves, speaking out into the emptiness of his home. Clambering off the couch, he rubs his lower back while trudging to the dining room to grab his cigarettes off the table, bare feet silently padding along the hardwood floor. Pulling out a cigarette, he lights it immediately, not giving a shit about the stale smokiness that's hovering in the air. He should really open a window.

Wandering down the hall, he moves into the bathroom and flips on the light to begin his morning routine. Standing at the sink, he peels off the bandages wrapped around his right hand and inspects the wounds along his knuckles. The gashes are healing nicely for home treatment, though he probably should have gotten stitches after his little tirade. What an idiot he was punching the wall like that, risking the most important tools for his career. But in that moment he hadn't cared about his hands, or his career, or his cooking. He only cared about losing Zoro.

Flicking his eyes up to his hair, he runs a hand through his bangs noting how disheveled his normally immaculate appearance is. The stubble along his jaw has grown significantly, having not bothered to shave the past few days. He hasn't gone anywhere. The day after everything happened he tried to go into work as if nothing was wrong. One look at the bandaged up hand and puffy eyes was all Zeff needed to literally kick him out of the kitchen and scream at him, "Don't come back until you've put yourself together."

That was on Wednesday.

Now it's Sunday and he hasn't even considered going back to work. The old man tried to call him a couple times but he ignored it. He doesn't want to talk to anyone other than Zoro. Reaching for his toothbrush and toothpaste, he begins thinking about what he will even say to Zoro when he calls him later.

"Sunday!" he exclaims loudly, spitting toothpaste all over the mirror. Zoro always works on Sundays. All Sanji has to do is go to the gym for a work out, casually bump into Zoro and start a conversation from there. Maybe they can go out and grab coffee and calmly talk things over like adults. He grins to himself, spitting the rest of his toothpaste into the sink and wiping the mirror. No need to swallow his pride and call Zoro now. Although this plan is probably even more pathetic, he conveniently ignores the thought and turns on the shower to warm up.

Pulling off his t-shirt and stepping out of his pajama pants, he reaches his hand in to test the water. Nice and hot, just the way he likes it. Stepping in, he groans at how nice it feels washing against his skin, cleansing him. It's the first shower he's had since Wednesday. He's not usually a total slob – that's Zoro's territory – but he just hasn't had motivation the past few days to do much more than lay around the house and think about what's transpired. Grabbing his shampoo, he closes his eyes and begins to scrub his hair roughly, making sure every strand is squeaky clean. Eyes closed still, he reaches for his body wash and snaps the lid open, freezing in place once the scent fills his nose. Zoro's body wash. A dull ache appears in his chest, similar to that of someone squeezing his heart. Inhaling deeply, he takes in the smell and instantly feels lonelier than ever before.

Sanji had bought him this soap as a gag gift one year, joking that if he's going to have a patch of mint growing out of his head he might as well smell like it. His explanation, coupled with fits of giggling and snorting, caused Zoro to scowl and hit him in the head with the bottle. But the next morning, when the dumb bastard sauntered into the kitchen demanding breakfast after his morning shower, Sanji could smell the fresh, minty scent. It was the only kind of soap Zoro used from then on.

He abruptly snaps the lid shut and sets the bottle back down. Grabbing his own body wash he continues his routine, scouring his skin a little harder than normal in an attempt to wash away the memories. Rinsing off his hair and body, he turns the shower off and steps out, running a towel through his hair and wrapping it around his waist, allowing himself to air dry as he sets up everything he needs to shave.

He quickly shaves his face clean, sharpening up his goatee and small moustache, and rinses out the sink. Scrubbing the towel through his hair thoroughly, he walks down the hall to their bedroom and starts rummaging through the dresser, pulling out everything he needs for a workout. Boxers, sweats, and a t-shirt later he glances at the clock on the bedside table, intentionally avoiding looking at the bed all-together. 7:40 a.m. The gym is open but Zoro's shift doesn't begin until 8:30. Turning on his heel, he quickly exists the bedroom and resolves to east some toast before leaving.

xXx

He stares up at the building before him while finishing the last of his cigarette. The Skypeia gym is the biggest workout facility in their whole city, multi-story with every piece of training equipment imaginable. In addition to having strength and cardio equipment, it also has several classes ranging from martial arts to Zumba, and available for all ages. Sanji favors the indoor pool but today is opting for weight training, knowing Zoro will be in the weight room since he's a personal trainer. Heart racing wildly at the thought of Zoro waiting just beyond the entrance, he tosses away his cigarette, takes a deep breath and steps through the sliding doors. In the lobby, a pretty, young blonde girl is waiting at the check-in counter to scan membership cards. Sanji approaches her with a warm smile but feels slightly uneasy as her eyes widen when she spots him.

"Oh, Sanji! I'm so glad to see you. I was afraid that you wouldn't come around here anymore."

"What do you mean, my dear Conis? There's no reason for me to stop coming here when such a beautiful lady as you always treats me so kindly." Although he's perplexed at her statement, it's not enough to prevent him from doing what he does best – wooing the ladies.

"Well I just thought since Zoro had quit it meant that you wouldn't be coming back here, either."

Sanji gapes at her, dropping the gym back slung on his arm to the ground next to him. Zoro quit? His Zoro? Why would he quit? Zoro loves his job. He's always bragging to people that he gets paid to work out. Albeit he does have some clients that annoy him and complains that his boss has a god-complex, he's really happy at Skypeia. Sanji shakes his head, hoping he just misheard her.

"I apologize, miss, but I think my hearing has gone out. It almost sounded like you said that mossheaded bastard quit." he says calmly, hoping that she's mistaken. He watches as she nervously chews her bottom lip, uncertain of what to say next.

"I'm sorry, Sanji. I figured you knew since you and Zoro are together and all… he quit last Wednesday. Walked in here, demanded Enel to speak to him privately, and then cleared out his locker and left. I'm so sorry," she apologizes with a sad look on her face. Sanji's head is spinning. How can that be? Why would Zoro quit? He numbly moves across the lobby to sink down in a chair, unsure of how to process this new information. He immediately digs into his pocket and pulls out his phone, unlocking it and scrolling to his contacts. With absolutely no hesitation, he taps on "Mossy" and brings the phone up to his ear.

"We're sorry but the number you have dialed is no longer in service."

He reels back in surprise, staring at his phone as if it tried to bite him. He presses the 'end call' button and goes to try Zoro again, only to have the same error message play back in his ear. Letting out a low growl, he throws his phone onto the seat next to him and hunches over, holding his head in his hands. It makes absolutely no sense to him why Zoro would just leave his job. And why didn't he tell him? Sanji knows they may not be on the best of terms but he had figured that Zoro would come back after a few days so they could talk things over.

Unsure of what to do or say next, he looks up at Conis and finds her staring at him with a worried expression. He stands up quickly, muttering apologies as he stuffs his phone into his pocket and picks up his gym bag, hurrying out of the building. Once safely outside, he leans his back against the brick wall and concentrates on his breathing. Heart racing, limbs heavy, he manages to piece himself back together swiftly and pulls out his phone again. Calling Zoro one last time, he listens to the same automated voice confirm that the number is now disconnected. He jams his hands in his pockets and kicks the side of the building angrily, wondering aloud as he makes his way to the bus stop, "Where the hell is Zoro?"


	2. Chapter 2

Sanji is finishing his cigarette just when his bus arrives. Once the doors open, he boards swiftly, swiping his bus card. He makes his way to a vacant seat towards the back. Staring out the window, he can't seem to settle his heart's thumping over the news he just heard. Zoro is really gone. It was one thing for him to just walk out of their apartment and take some time away to figure out some shit, but the fact that he's quit his job makes everything so much more real. Is he even still in the city?

Frowning, Sanji begins idly fiddling with the bandages on his hand. When it really comes down to it, he's lost without Zoro. The man has become such a huge part of his life – after all, they've been dating for almost two years. He bites his bottom lip and suppresses the urge to yell out in anger. Why the fuck is this happening to him? Why did he have to ruin everything? He misses Zoro's scent, his touch, his taste… Hell, he even misses their incessant bickering. And deep down inside, in a place he doesn't like to acknowledge exists, he is hollow without his partner. They'd been together through so much and it just feels wrong to not have the other man by his side. Sanji groans and thunks his head against the glass before closing his eyes and reminiscing.

It had taken so long for Sanji to comprehend that the feelings he had for Zoro were more than platonic friendship. Although the two of them spent inordinate amounts of time fighting over stupid, petty shit – they really were friends. His pride would never allow him to admit it to anyone but Zoro was actually his best friend. He kind of admired the dumb bastard, despite his many flaws. And sometimes his flaws weren't really flaws at all – just Sanji's own misgivings. When they first met, he had found Zoro to be extremely uncouth and foul. However after getting to know him better Sanji realized that Zoro was actually refined in his own way. Sure, he didn't fuss over things as much as Sanji but he actually cared very much about cleanliness and organization.

By the time it became clear to Sanji that he spent way too much time thinking about Zoro for it to not mean anything, it was too late. All it took was one brush against Zoro in Luffy's kitchen during a weekly movie night and it zapped him, like electricity. He realized right then and there that he had feelings for Zoro. Real, legitimate feelings. Zoro had just growled at him to watch where he was going and left, but Sanji stayed in the kitchen for a good five minutes awestruck over his revelation.

Having a crush on Zoro was vastly different than anything else he had ever experienced. It was less like the fluttering feeling he felt around beautiful women and more of a magnetic force attracting him to Zoro in every way. He began enjoying the way the stupid bastard would argue with him and anytime they ended up throwing punches, he was left exhilarated and wanting more. But the attention he was craving wasn't for combat but rather affection.

Sanji was reaching his breaking point. While he was able to, albeit begrudgingly, admit that he wanted the guy, he was also confident that Zoro would never feel the same. The first time he saw Zoro after reaching this conclusion it was bittersweet. He was disappointed in himself for giving up but he knew it was the right thing to do. He just hadn't planned on Zoro getting smashed and changing everything.

Usually the man's extremely tolerant with alcohol but their friend Luffy got some kind of highly potent liquor from his older brother and gave it to Zoro. Sanji wasn't even able to finish half his bottle of wine before he grasped how bad of shape Zoro was in. The night ended with Zoro passing out right where he was standing, hitting his head against the side of Luffy's table on his way down.

"Fuck! Someone help me with Zoro," Sanji had called out to their friends after hearing a crash and finding Zoro laying on the ground, bleeding from the side of his head. Luffy and Chopper came running in, the latter immediately panicking and screaming that they needed to take Zoro to the E.R.

"Chopper, check his head and see if he actually needs a doctor first," Luffy had commanded calmly, always composed in these kinds of situations. Chopper quickly obliged and declared it was just a shallow gash that he could patch up right there. The situation seemed to be under control, but Sanji was still wary. He had never seen Zoro pass out from drinking. The man drinks bottom shelf vodka straight. Seeing Zoro unconscious like that completely unnerved him.

He helped Luffy carry Zoro's limp form to Usopp's bed, which was no easy task considering his body's basically pure muscle. Once they heaved him onto the bed and got him situated, Sanji sighed and told Luffy, "I'll stay in here and keep an eye on him. Better get me a trashcan or something in case the shitty bastard wakes up and needs to puke."

Luffy returned shortly with a wastebasket, setting it by the bed before he turned to leave. He hovered at the door for a second, tossing a knowing smile back at Sanji, "Don't worry. I know you'll take good care of Zoro."

Sanji stayed with Zoro the whole night through with his cell phone and the other man's snoring as company. He ended up falling asleep around five in the morning and woke up a couple hours later to rustling next to him. Peeking one eye open, he came face to face with Zoro staring right back at him. They stayed like that for a few seconds before Sanji snapped.

Entranced, he slowly leaned closer to Zoro, their noses touching. They maintained eye contact and Zoro stayed motionless except the slight arch of one eyebrow. Closing his eyes, Sanji moved to close the gap between them and was taken by surprise when he felt Zoro's lips press against his first. The warmth of his mouth was electrifying and Sanji lost himself in the moment, the tension seeping out of his body. For the first time in months he felt completely and utterly relaxed. Like he had been on a long journey and had finally made it home. Zoro lips were where his belonged.

Sanji jumps, feeling the bus lurch to a halt and shaking him from his thoughts. He looks out the window and realizes this is his stop. Quickly he clambers out of his seat and exits. He pulls out his pack of cigarettes, tapping it against his palm to pack the tobacco before tipping one out. He sticks the smoke between his lips, lights it, and begins his four block journey to his destination.

As he walks along the street, kicking at random leaves on the ground, he curses himself for freaking out so much at the gym. Probably scared poor Conis half to death. Deciding that panicking won't do anyone any good, he resolves to figure out where Zoro is calmly and confidently. He just needs to ask around, see if anyone else has seen him and go from there. Nodding, he buries the nervous worry deep inside and wills the knot in his stomach to go away. Setting a determined scowl on his face, he quickens his stride and continues assertively down the sidewalk.

Just as he takes one last puff of his cigarette, smoking it down to the filter, he arrives at the apartment building. It's a little run down but it's clean and in a friendly neighborhood. Leaves are in piles out front, Fall having taken its toll on the trees of the nearby park. This part of town is not nearly as nice as where he and Zoro live but it's like a second home to him. He walks up the brick steps and locates the "4A" buzzer, pressing it and waiting to be allowed in. A crackling sound comes over the intercom and a female voice asks, "Who is it?"

"Ah, Nami? It's Sanji," he replies, already feeling a little giddy over getting to see the pretty redhead. When he first met her approximately four years ago, he had the biggest crush on her. It faded pretty quickly into a different kind of bond though, but that doesn't stop him from enjoying her beauty when he sees her. He hadn't expected her to be here but thinks to himself that it's probably best if they're all gathered together for this conversation.

"Oh, Sanji! I'll buzz you in."

A loud buzz and click informs him the door is now open. Sanji walks into the building's lobby and makes his way up the stairs to the fourth floor. As he arrives at the top, apartment A's door is already open and Nami is standing in the doorway with her arms crossed waiting for him. He smiles at the sight of her down the hall, her long flowing red hair framing her face and contrasting nicely with the light blue sweater she's wearing.

"Sanji, I haven't seen you in days. Where have you been?" she demands before he even reaches door. Slowing his pace, he puts his hands in his pockets and bows his head sheepishly, feeling guilty for making her worry.

"I'm sorry, beautiful. I've just been… pre-occupied." Even though it's not a lie, he feels bad for being so vague in his response. However, he doesn't want to reveal the reason for his visit until he's safely inside and out of the hall. She frowns and holds her stance, looking him up and down for a minute, before shrugging and tossing her hair over her shoulder.

"I don't think I've ever seen you in sweats," she says thoughtfully, arching a delicate eyebrow and nodding towards his pants. Following her line of vision, he realizes he ran out of the gym before changing into real clothes. This shit with Zoro is really getting to him.

"Ah! I'm sorry; I have much nicer clothes in my gym bag… I'm gonna change if you'll let me inside," he sputters and blushes, completely embarrassed that Nami of all people has to see him looking like such a mess. She rolls her eyes and moves out of the entryway to let him in.

The small apartment is warm and the atmosphere is inviting. Overstuffed furniture and bookshelves brimming with DVDs and photos decorate the living room. The dining room has an enormous mahogany table that Sanji knows well, as he's cooked many feasts here for his friends. He breathes a sigh of relief, glad to be somewhere familiar and welcoming, having cooped himself up in a dark, lonely dwelling the past few days.

"Hey Sanji," Usopp waves from the living room, books and papers scattered around him. He turns back to his work and taps his pencil against the tip of his nose, obviously concentrating. Usopp is one of Sanji's closest friends, along with Nami. They all met each other at the Baratie years ago, as well as Luffy and Zoro. Almost immediately after finding out that Sanji was the chef who prepared their lunch, Luffy declared that they were going to be friends from there on out.

"I wanna eat your yummy food everyday so you're gonna be my friend," he had beamed, in his normal Luffy style. While it had amused Sanji, he wasn't sure if he wanted to be friends with the eccentric teen. However, he decided to give the motley crew a chance (Nami being one of them may have had some influence) and they became fast friends. Now years later the five of them, along with a few additions to their group, remain a tight-knit circle. It makes him happy to be around people who love his food so much, especially since his old man always refuses to compliment any dish he touches. Kind of like a certain missing mossy he knows.

Sanji walks through the apartment, peeking in the kitchen and looking around the living room. He frowns and turns back to Nami, who is still staring at him, and asks, "Where's Luffy?"

"He went with Chopper to grab some groceries. They'll be back any minute," answers Usopp, as he begins packing away his books and papers. He's a student at the local university, along with Nami and Chopper. Being in his third year as a graphic design major, most of his free time anymore is spent doing computer projects or studying various textbooks. He, Chopper, and Luffy share this apartment and have lived here for a few years. "Nami and I were just taking advantage of the quiet to actually get some studying done."

Sanji nods, aware that the two of them seize any chance they can get to study in a quiet environment. Nami lives in student housing on campus, deciding it was a better option after doing the math and figuring out it's actually cheaper than trying to rent a place on her own. She spends a lot of her time between classes and her internship at either Luffy's place or his own. She saunters across the room and plops down in her seat next to Usopp to clean up her own mess. Sanji wants so badly to ask them if they've seen Zoro but isn't sure how he will react if they say no. Or even worse, if they say yes. Instead, he quietly excuses himself to the bathroom to change out of his sweats.

It's an absolute mess, as usual. Two twenty-one year olds and a nineteen year old is a bad combination for cleanliness. Although Chopper is organized and cleaner than the other two, Luffy counteracts that by being a walking tornado. There's clothes flung all over the place, lying in heaps around the hamper. Glancing between the toothpaste cap laying on the floor, fingerprints on the mirror, and dirty towels thrown over the shower curtain rod, Sanji finds himself having a newfound appreciation for Zoro's disdain for clutter.

Unzipping his bag, he pulls out the jeans and button up shirt he had packed earlier. Before he found out Zoro had quit his job, Sanji was hoping he could convince the other man to take his break early and go for a cup of coffee. They really have some things they need to talk about. Subconsciously he must have wanted to impress Zoro, as the outfit he picked out is one of the man's favorites. Not that he's ever told him as much, Sanji can just tell considering anytime he wears it, it inevitably ends up torn off and in a heap on their bedroom floor. Removing his sweatpants and t-shirt, he tugs on the black jeans and does a little hop to get them pulled up all the way. He slides on his blue shirt - an ocean blue that matches his eyes - and fastens it ups slowly, stopping to run his finger over each button. The last time he wore this shirt, it was ripped off of him and the buttons all popped off, thanks to a certain idiot being a little overzealous. He had to take it to a tailor to be fixed.

Shaking his head, he pushes those thoughts away. Anytime he's thought about Zoro lately it's left an ache in his chest as a constant reminder of how much he fucked up. He checks himself out in the mirror, nodding in approval before exiting the bathroom. He turns down the hall and heads for the last room on the left, calling over his shoulder, "Hey, Usopp – you mind if I leave my bag in your room?"

"Nah, man, go ahead" is the response he receives. He opens the door and tosses his gym back onto Usopp's unmade bed before heading back into the living room to join him and Nami. They've cleared away all of their schoolbooks and are sitting on the floor on either side of the coffee table, playing some kind of card game. Sanji drops down on one of the couches and pulls his phone out of his pocket, checking to see if he has any missed calls or texts. He sees he has one missed call and holds his breath, excitedly tapping on his phone app to see who it's from. Sighing in disappointment, he tosses his phone on the couch. Just the shitty old geezer.

He absent-mindedly watches Nami and Usopp as they play their game, allowing his mind wander back to Zoro. Just the mosshead's name alone makes a pool of guilt and worry bubble up in his chest and he's unable to keep himself from agonizing over the fucked up situation he's caused. Where could Zoro have gone? Why did he just disappear like that?

The banging of the front door being opened pulls him from his thoughts and he listens as an energetic Luffy walks in, jabbering away about apples of all things.

"Yeah Chopper, it was so cool. I had no idea that there's so many different kinds of apples. An apple's just an apple, ya know?" he babbles on as Sanji can hear the sounds of grocery bags being set on the kitchen counters. The door closes and a smaller, younger voice can be heard moving into the kitchen as well.

"Yeah, Luffy, there are all kinds of apples. Granny smith, gala, fuji, red delicious – I'm sure Sanji could tell us many more. Haven't you ever bought apples before?"

Sanji snorts, listening to them carry on about produce while putting away their groceries. Luffy can be clueless… but he has nothing on the naivety of Chopper. Tony Chopper is the picture of innocence. Small stature, curly brown hair, big doe eyes – he's the poster child for the word 'adorable.' Coupled with his completely gullible and incorruptible personality, he makes even the meanest bastards putty in his small hands. Sanji's pretty close to him but their relationship is nothing like Chopper's friendship with Zoro. The brute is the big brother Chopper never had and unknowingly, the kid has Zoro wrapped around his finger. He feels a tinge of guilt, wondering if Chopper has any idea that Zoro's gone. The guilt is replaced with bitterness; he reminds himself that he's probably the only one who doesn't know where Zoro is.

Chopper is probably the only person Sanji has ever met who can entertain Luffy's random topics of conversation completely serious. Eccentric is the only word that comes to mind when trying to describe Luffy. He's one of those unconventional types – walks through life to the beat of his own drum. He's full of odd quirks, such as his obsession with pirates, his refusal to wear anything other than sandals (unless Nami forces him), or the straw hat that he sports everywhere he goes. It's a big mystery to most of them – Zoro's the one who explained to Sanji that it was given to the dark-haired man by his godfather as a small child. It obviously holds a lot of meaning to Luffy, as he frequently refers to it as his treasure.

"Hey Nami, Usopp we got some frozen pizzas," Chopper begins as he wanders into the living room before he notices Sanji sitting on the sofa. He gasps and flings himself in the seat next to the blond, smiling and excitedly yelling, "Sanji! I haven't seen you in forever! Where have you been? OH MY GOD. What happened to your hand? Did you hurt it? DID YOU GO TO THE DOCTOR?"

Sanji chuckles to himself and allows his hand to be inspected by the young man, who unravels the bandages and studies the cuts in his knuckles. Chopper was home schooled as a child and raised by his grandmother. She runs a local walk-in clinic and had Chopper sitting in on clinic visits by age twelve. He even studied medicine in his spare time. Now at nineteen, he's made a significant dent in his pre-med college career, hoping to be accepted into medical school next year. They all jokingly call him 'Doctor Chopper' because he tends to patch them up when the situation calls for it.

"Sanji's here?" Luffy asks from the kitchen.

"Yeah, I'm in the living room being assessed by our resident physician," he calls back over his shoulder. In mere seconds, Luffy enters the living room, arms crossed and hat pushed low on his face. The atmosphere changes upon his entrance, tension exuding from his presence. Usopp and Nami pause their card game and look up at him, trading nervous glances between one another. Chopper excuses himself from the room, stuttering that he's going to get the first aid kit for Sanji's hand. Sanji watches the small form disappear from the room and turns back to look at Luffy, who hasn't moved since his arrival.

With absolutely no warning, Luffy launches himself at Sanji, pushing him off the sofa onto the floor and effectively knocking the wind out of his lungs. Gasping for air, Sanji tries to kick Luffy away but is quickly disabled when the man plants himself firmly on his thighs. He tilts his head to look at the lock Luffy has on him and determines he could probably wriggle out of it but isn't quite sure if he wants to try. Despite his lean figure and happy-go-lucky attitude, Luffy is a formidable fighting opponent. He's well versed with many different forms of martial arts and even teaches karate to kids at the Skypiea Gym.

Breathing heavily, mostly from anger and not physical exertion, Luffy glares down at Sanji's form below him, fury radiating from his body.

"Luffy! What the hell are you doing!? Get off Sanji!" Nami cries from her seat on the floor a few feet away.

"He hurt my friend, Nami. I should kick his ass," he growls at her, dark eyes never leaving Sanji's face. Sanji instantly feels like the shittiest human on the planet and resigns himself to allow Luffy inflict whatever punishment he feels necessary. He tilts his head back and looks at Nami upside down. By the way she bites her bottom lip and gives him a look of sympathy he can tell that she knows. Glancing at Usopp and seeing the way the guy is avoiding eye contact tells Sanji that he probably knows too.

Luffy fists the collar of his shirt and pulls him up close so that their faces are almost touching. Eyes black and full of anger, teeth clenched, body tense, Luffy looks ready to punch him at any second. Sanji closes his eyes and prepares for the worst, knowing he deserves it. Unexpectedly, the fist lets him go, his body dropping back to the floor. He lies there quietly for a few seconds, processing that Luffy isn't currently beating the shit out of him. Opening his eyes, he looks up at Luffy who sighs and pulls his hat off his head, dropping it on the floor next to them. Scratching the back of his head, he crawls off of Sanji and speaks quietly, "I should kick your ass, but you're my friend too. Tell us what happened, Sanji."

With that Luffy sits cross-legged on the floor and waits patiently for him to explain. Still shocked that he didn't get his face punched in, Sanji slowly pulls himself into a sitting position facing his group of friends, and chuckles to himself bitterly, "Well, where shall I begin?"

"Why don't you start by telling us why Zoro came here last Tuesday drunk off his ass in the middle of the night?" Nami suggests gently, her light brown eyes full of concern. Sanji brings his knees to his chest and hugs himself. So the bastard went drinking and then came here afterwards. Figures.

"He didn't tell you why he was here?" Sanji asks, raising an eyebrow. Usopp gives him a look and rolls his eyes. Understanding perfectly what he's trying to convey, Sanji nods back. As if Zoro would ever tell them anything that's upsetting him. He has too much pride for that.

"He didn't tell us but I could tell that he was uh… upset. Didn't seem much like himself. Just came in and crashed on the couch. Didn't even say 'hi,'" Usopp clarifies. Makes sense now how Luffy knew Zoro was upset.

"We, uh, got into a fight and he stormed out – I assumed to cool off but he hasn't come back. I went to Skypiea today and they told me he'd quit. And now his phone is disconnected. I don't know where he is," Sanji explains while tracing his finger in small circles on the carpet next to them. They're all quiet, letting Sanji's brief explanation sink in. He keeps his eyes glued to the floor, unable to look at any of them and silently hopes that they won't ask what the fight was about, preferring to keep that between him and Zoro until they can at least talk about it.

"Zoro's… missing?" Chopper asks from across the room. Sanji's heart clenches as guilt washes over him. Looking up, he makes eye contact with the younger man who is visibly shaken by the news. Chopper takes a deep breath and presses further, "I mean… Zoro wouldn't just leave without at least saying goodbye, right?"

"Let me try to call him. Maybe he just blocked your number, Sanji," Nami offers, digging her cell phone out of her back pocket. She scrolls through it and dials Zoro, bringing it to her ear. She holds eye contact with Usopp and Sanji can see her expression falter when inevitably that shitty recording plays in her ear. She ends the call and sets the phone back on the table before turning to look at Sanji.

"What do we do?"

Before Sanji can respond, Luffy shuffles next to him and says solemnly, "We don't do anything. This is between Sanji and Zoro. He has to take care of it."

"But Luffy – Zoro's our friend, too. We can't just let him disappear without a single word and not do anything," she quickly retorts, expression hardening. As much as he wants to agree with Nami, Sanji knows Luffy is right. It's his mess and now he has to be the one to clean it up. Finding mossy is just the first step – the real challenge will be getting him to talk about what happened.

"Don't worry, Nami. Zoro's not dead or anything – Saturday is Ace and Marco's big party, remember? He'll be there, I'm sure of it!" Luffy grins at her, reassuringly. Sanji tenses and suddenly he feels as though a weight has been lifted off his chest. He had completely forgotten all about Ace's party with everything that's happened. It's big celebration for him and Marco's elopement since neither of them wanted a real wedding. It may not be a formal event but it's definitely important to them and Sanji knows since Zoro promised he'd be there he isn't going to miss out on it. They'll definitely see each other then.

Reassured that things will work out, Sanji pulls himself up off the floor and brushes off his pants. Usopp frowns at Sanji and asks, "Hey, aren't you worried? I mean he is your boyfriend after all."

"Nah, Usopp. Luffy's right – I'll just talk to him after Ace's party. Now, who wants lunch?"

Luffy's cries for food echo through the flat and Sanji moves to the kitchen to find something to cook. He pauses on his way though, catching a glimpse at Chopper who is still standing at the edge of the room with some bandages in hand. Changing course at the last moment, he pads across the space to where the curly haired boy is standing and wraps an arm around his shoulders. Chopper leans into the embrace and stays still for a moment.

Looking up at Sanji, his big brown eyes are full of worry, "Are you sure it'll be okay? What if Zoro doesn't go?"

"Don't worry about it, Chopper. He'll be there. Now c'mon, I need you to bandage my hand so I can cook." Chopper nods at Sanji's request and makes his way to the kitchen ahead of him. The cook stands still for a moment and thinks to himself that on Saturday he'll be able to talk to Zoro and begin the process of putting the pieces back together. Luffy yells at him to hurry up and make some food. Grinning to himself, Sanji walks into the kitchen to oblige.


	3. Chapter 3

"Where the hell you been, Sanji?" Zeff roars out across the kitchen the moment Sanji walks in. After lunch at Luffy's, he had received three more missed calls from the old man and decided it was best to head over to the restaurant and stop avoiding work. Especially since he needs Saturday off for Ace's party.

"You're the one who kicked me out last time I was here, shitty old fart," Sanji retorts with a glare. He and his old man have a complicated relationship. Zeff isn't his biological father but being raised by the old coot makes them more similar than either of them like to admit. Sanji was about ten when Zeff found him digging through trashcans for food. Once Zeff had fed him and called child services, he found out that Sanji was going to be placed in foster care. He immediately volunteered to foster the youngster himself.

After his application to be a foster parent was approved, Zeff took Sanji in and they butted heads from the beginning. Zeff learned that at the ripe young age of ten, Sanji was already smoking cigarettes to appear more adult. He also learned that Sanji had an aptitude and interest in cooking. Thus, he let Sanji be a dishwasher, which had enraged the foul-mouthed kid and earned him the permanent nickname of "shitty geezer." They eventually found their rhythm, Zeff teaching Sanji everything he knew about cooking and Sanji doing everything he could to prove to Zeff that his food was great. Zeff had officially adopted him by his eleventh birthday.

Now in the very same kitchen that angry child had grown up in, a very angry adult stands with his hands on his hips locked in a glaring contest with the old man. Zeff breaks first, huffing and hobbling across the kitchen. Although he'd had this prosthetic leg since before he found Sanji, it still affected his gait. Twirling his incredulous moustache as he shuffles closer, he looks the younger chef up and down. Stopping right before Sanji, who is still glaring at him, Zeff furrows his eyebrows before swiftly kicking him hard in the shin.

"What the fuck was that for?" Sanji yelps, hopping on one foot and rubbing his shin with his hand. Despite his age, Zeff can still kick pretty damn lethal and that prosthetic leg is made of hard plastic and metal.

"It's for not answering my calls or showing up to work for four days. Come talk to me in the office, eggplant."

Sanji rolls his eyes at the stupid nickname he's had since he was a kid and follows the old man into the office. It's late in the afternoon, too early for dinner rush but well past lunchtime, so the kitchen is in a lull, everyone's just prepping for the evening service. He spies Patty and Carne at the prep table staring at him and snickering so he turns and flips them the bird before slamming the door closed.

Settling down in the hard metal folding chair in the corner, Sanji reaches into his pocket and pulls out a cigarette, nonchalantly avoiding the scowl he's receiving from Zeff. A peaceful quiet settles between the two blond chefs, the only sound coming from the pots banging in the kitchen and Sanji's breathy exhales. Zeff leans across his desk, resting his chin in his palm and narrows his eyes at Sanji, "So eggplant, you going to tell me why I shouldn't fire your ass right now?"

"It's a long story, old man," Sanji retorts, avoiding eye contact. He doesn't want to hide things from Zeff, not really. But the idea of having to explain to situation to someone, especially someone he respects so much, makes him feel nauseous.

"If you want to keep your job then I suggest you explain."

Sanji sighs, for the thousandth time wishing his father were not his employer. Having that much control over someone's life is unfair. Deciding not to drag it out any longer, he huffs and crosses his arms and turns his head to glare at the older man.

"Zoro left. He's gone."

Zeff leans back in his chair, frowning at his son before gently asking, "What do you mean 'gone?'"

Sanji's bottom lip begins to tremble. He can't stand to hear the softness in his old man's voice – it's too much for him. He doesn't want anyone's pity, especially not Zeff's. It just makes it harder knowing that he's the reason why things are the way they are right now. But the lump in his throat is threatening to surface and the last thing he wants is to break down in this shitty restaurant's office with his old man's gaze burning holes into his entire being. Swallowing hard, he chokes out bitterly, "I mean we got in a fight and he walked out the door and hasn't fucking returned since. I don't know where he is. He quit his job and turned off his fucking phone and he's just GONE. Got it, you shitty geezer?"

The two men watch each other, letting Sanji's explanation settle between them. Zeff's expression doesn't change, he just continues staring at his son, twirling his moustache between his fingers. Sanji frowns and looks away from the other man, wishing he could just get up and leave but knowing that would be futile. The shitty bastard would just follow him.

"Well that explains why you look like shit."

Sanji's frown deepens and his whips his head back at his old man to shout, "I don't look like shit, old man! You better get your eyes checked."

"You do look like shit, eggplant. What did you do to that musclehead to run him off?"

Sanji hates that Zeff correctly assumed whatever is going on between him and Zoro is his fault. He decides to feign ignorance at the accusation, "What makes you think I did anything?"

"If it were that grasshead boyfriend of yours' fault, you would've been here every day taking your anger out on the staff."

Sanji pulls out another cigarette and lights it angrily, not wanting to admit the geezer is right. Zeff knows he's correct though and guffaws at his son's denial. Annoyed with his laughter, the younger man stands up and walks towards the office door. Realizing he hasn't brought up the subject of needing Saturday off, he turns and asks, "By the way, can I have Saturday off? It's Ace and Marco's wedding party."

Zeff quits laughing immediately and snarls, "You just had five days off! What makes you think I'm going to let you have anymore time off?"

Pulling an apron off the hook by the door and tying it around his waist, Sanji stubs out the butt of his cigarette in the ashtray on the corner of the desk. Opening the door to go back into the kitchen and begin his shift, he glances at his father and says quietly, "Because Zoro will be there."

xXx

After dinner service, Zeff approached Sanji and informed him that if he wants to have Saturday day off, he'd have to stay late every night this week and do intensive cleaning. After some shouting and insulting passed between the two of them, Sanji agreed to the terms, knowing how important it is to go to that party. It's now way past closing and with a grumble about certain eggplants not being too loud, Zeff ascends the stairs to the apartment over the restaurant and leaves Sanji to begin his work.

Deciding he doesn't want to get oven grease all over his nice clothes, Sanji goes into the office to change back into the t-shirt from his earlier escapade to the gym. He pauses, shirt halfway pulled over his head and numbly wonders how he can be so calm when just this morning he had found out Zoro is nowhere to be found. Tugging the shirt on completely, he wills his thoughts away from all things mossy, knowing that mulling over it will do him no good. Leaving the office, he spots his small speakers on the shelf behind the desk. Glancing above him while biting his bottom lip, he shrugs and grabs them. If the shitty geezer wants him to stay late and do extra work, he's not going to do it in silence.

Returning to the kitchen, he places the speakers on the counter facing towards the commercial ovens and hooks his phone up, tuning into a random radio station. Gathering his cleaning supplies, he hums along quietly to the song that's finishing. Once he's sure he has everything he needs, he begins spraying degreaser and cursing under his breath. These assholes can't even keep the ovens –

He freezes, hearing the first few beats of the song that comes on his phone. A strange feeling settles in the pit of his stomach as he remembers the last time he heard this tune.

It was Nami's 21st birthday and she demanded that everyone meet at a local bar to party with her. They'd been there a few hours and Nami was pretty trashed – which was a feat considering she's one of the few who can keep up with Zoro. Their whole group of friends were there, spread across the bar. Zoro and Franky were finishing up a pool game towards the back while the rest of their crew sat at a large corner booth watching Luffy as he devoured hot wings with fervor unknown to most of mankind. Rolling her eyes, obviously tired of his display of chicken bones and hot sauce, Nami pulled on Sanji's arm and yelled, "Come dance with me!"

Feeling pretty drunk himself and unable to quite hear her over the loud music booming from the dance floor, Sanji bent down and asked loudly into her ear, "What was that?"

"I said come dance with me. Vivi's coming too!" she responded at full volume, tugging on the sleeve of his pink button up shirt.

"Where am I going?" Vivi giggled, appearing next to Nami.

"We're gonna dance with Sanji – come on! I love this song!" She grabbed both of their hands and dragged them onto the dance floor before either could protest. The song playing was a poppy tune and Sanji had never heard it before. Vivi was laughing and shrieking as her and Nami danced together. The bar was dark but there were colored lights flickering across the dance floor giving it more of a club feel, the bass thumping and the throng of bodies jumping and swaying to the music. Allowing the alcohol in his veins and the rhythm of the music blaring from the speakers to take over, Sanji shook his hips along with the two women and laughed as they danced.

Sober, Sanji would have never said he was a great dancer by any means – just average at best, able to keep up with rhythm and tempo. He was better at organized dancing like ballroom or the tango. But in that moment, on that dance floor, in a group of strangers with three hours of shots and cocktails in his system, he swore he was the greatest fucking dancer in the world. Nami and Vivi moved sandwich the redhead between them and they all three cheered and giggled, causing a commotion that attracted the attention of a few others in their surrounding area. Thrusting himself into the song with as much feeling as he could, he swung his hips and sang along to he words he didn't know, enjoying his time with his two friends.

Suddenly a large body appeared behind him and two strong hands grabbed his waist. A familiar scent of mint and whiskey filled his nostrils and he smiled to himself as a square jaw brushed against his ear and set of sharp teeth nipped playfully on his earlobe. Sanji turned around and came face to face with Zoro, who was grinning and licking his lips at the sight of him swaying on the dance floor.

"Dance with me, mossy," Sanji demanded, pulling Zoro's hands to rest on his hips.

Zoro chuckled and shook his head, glancing off to the side and responded, "C'mon, cook. As hot as it may be to watch you out here shaking your ass, I don't like the look of those two."

Sanji glanced in the direction Zoro nodded his head and caught a glimpse of a tall redheaded man and three other guys making their way to where he was standing. The man's eyes were glued to him and he wore an amused smirk on his face along with an expression that told Sanji he was definitely up to no good. He grabbed Nami's shoulder and shook her lightly, pulling her out of her dancing and motioning her attention to the group of guys making their way over. Before they could leave, however, the man and his friends stopped and the redhead crossed his arms, looking Sanji up and down with a wicked smile.

"Y'know, I thought you were a total fag out here dancing like a chick but when I saw this guy come and rub himself all over you, I knew I was right," he spits out, jabbing a thumb in Zoro's direction. The green-haired man growled from behind Sanji and pulled on the back of his shirt, obviously wanting to leave.

"Who the fuck are you calling a fag? You're wearing fingernail polish and a fur coat in July," Sanji snarls at the man, causing Nami to giggle.

"I'm calling you a fag, since it's pretty obvious you take a dick up your ass nightly."

Sanji grit his teeth, his blood boiling. Who the hell did this guy think he was? He was about to ask him as much when Zoro pushed Sanji behind him, barking over his shoulder "Take the girls and get the others and leave. I'll deal with this."

With that, Zoro reached over and plucked a beer out of the hand of an innocent bystander, who was apart of the circle of people who had begun surrounding them when the group of guys showed up, and smashed it over the redhead's skull. In an instant, all hell broke loose and Sanji found himself grabbing Vivi and Nami and pulling them away from the brawl, trying to keep them safe. A guy with long blond hair jumped on Zoro and Sanji heard a woman scream, "Oh my god, he's got a knife!"

Sanji turned to the girls and roared, "Go get Luffy."

Nodding, Nami grabbed Vivi's hand and ran in the direction of their friend group as Sanji rushed back to the clash and tried to pull the blond guy off of his boyfriend. The other two guys rushed to stop him and a fight broke out between them and Sanji. Although Sanji was probably stronger than them, they kept fighting dirty, throwing elbows and sucker punches and preventing him from getting close to Zoro.

Zoro's a strong man – he's a personal trainer for fuck's sake – but the guys he was fighting were no joke. The blond one was about Zoro's size and the redhead even bigger, with a mean glare on his face making him look like one nasty son of a bitch. They were giving Zoro a run for his money and Sanji couldn't find an opportunity to help him.

Seeing a familiar straw hat bobbing in the distance, Sanji yelled for Luffy and pointed at where the redhead and his long-haired friend were ganging up on Zoro. Blood was gushing from someone and Sanji felt panic rise in his chest, hoping that it wasn't coming from his partner.

In almost an instant, sirens could be heard approaching and the crowd of people who had gathered around the brawl began clearing out, not wanting to get caught by the cops. Apparently the redhead and his friends heard the sirens, too, as they immediately stopped fighting and tried to flee. Franky grabbed one of the guys who had been fighting Sanji and he himself grabbed the other. Luffy tackled the guy with long, blond hair and the shitty ginger bastard ran for the door. Unfortunately for him, the police busted in at that same moment and, with one look at his bloody nose, arrested him on the spot.

Before Sanji knew it, Zoro was handcuffed and being dragged outside too, everyone else being let go free. Sanji ran to follow them, wanting to explain the situation but he felt a warm hand grab his wrist. Turning, he saw Luffy watching Zoro's form being taken to the police cars, keeping a tight grip on his arm.

"Luffy – what are you doing? They're arresting Zoro, I gotta tell them what happened."

"Sanji you have a black eye, they'll arrest you too if they know you were fighting. Nami's already on her way out there to give a witness statement. Let her handle it."

Sanji scowled at his words but stopped pulling at his arm, knowing it wouldn't do Zoro any good if Sanji got arrested too and couldn't post bail. Seeing that he wasn't going to try anything, Luffy let go of his wrist. The bar was emptying out and Sanji looked around and spotted the rest of their friend group huddled near the entrance. Robin waved at him and he nodded his head, tapping on Luffy's shoulder to point them out to him. The two made their way to the rest of their friends and were promptly assaulted with questions on what was going on.

"What happened to Zoro, bro?"

"Sanji! Zoro was bleeding! Is he okay? Does he need to go to the hospital?"

"If you needed help in the fight, you should have called me! I've been in hundreds of bar fights and never lost a single one."

"Hey everyone shut up for a second, I got news on Zoro," Nami yells, reappearing at Sanji's side. He held his breath as he waited for her to share her information. She bit her lip and lowered her head in defeat and said quietly, "He's getting arrested and being taken downtown for the night. Apparently they have to finish their investigation and get a few more witness statements before deciding whether or not to stick him with assault charges."

Sanji felt enraged at the news. Why would they arrest Zoro? Puzzled and angry, he retorted, "But that asshole started it! He was insulting us."

"Yeah, but Zoro stupidly admitted to throwing the first punch."

Sanji let out an exasperated sigh and turned on his heel to exit the building for a much needed smoke. Cigarette in his mouth before he even made it outside, he lit up immediately and let the calming nicotine fill his lungs. While they lived in a pretty open-minded and accepting community, there were always those one or two assholes that felt the need to insult him and Zoro while they were out trying to have a good time.

Nami came out of the bar as well, coming over to stand next to Sanji and watch the cops as they continued taking witness statements. She seemed like she wanted to say something but never got around to it. Finally, when Sanji finished his cigarette she turned to him and said, "I got a look at his face. I think they carved him up pretty good."

Sanji's stomach dropped as he remembered the blood he had seen earlier and Chopper's cries about Zoro needing a hospital. He turned to Nami, stunned and wide-eyed, asking "Will they take him to the hospital and get it taken care of?"

"Yeah, if they see it's bad enough to need medical treatment, they will," she nodded.

Groaning, Sanji reached into his pocket and pulled out another cigarette, looking back at the cop cars. He spotted the mosshead sitting in the rear of one of them, head hung low. His heart felt heavy – Zoro was getting arrested for defending him and he had gotten hurt in the process. They should have just left when he had spotted potential danger but Sanji's shitty pride wouldn't allow him to go without being heard. He blinked, realizing Zoro had lifted his head up and locked eyes with him. They stared at each other for a few seconds before the green-haired man, whose face was still covered in blood, gave him the biggest smile Sanji had ever since. He grinned back and didn't break eye contact until the car pulled away.

In the end, Zoro's charges were dropped and he was released the next day. Sanji was at home nursing a hangover when he received the phone call notifying him to go to the hospital and pick Zoro up. When he got there, he found his partner sitting in an examination room with his head bandaged, being informed that he'd lost almost all vision in his left eye.

Sanji frowns at the oven he's been scrubbing, realizing for the first time that it was already clean. Guilt swells in his chest as he throws the scrub brush he'd been using into the sink. Zoro was lucky he could still practice kendo after his eye healed. Kendo and kenjutsu have always been Zoro's biggest passions and Sanji felt personally responsible for hindering that, no matter how many times the bastard said otherwise.

Sighing, he switches to the next song on his radio station, and continues his cleaning well into the early hours of the morning. By about three, the commercial ovens are clean and he calls it a night. Grabbing his bag out of the office, Sanji leaves out the back, locking the door behind him. The crisp, cool air feels refreshing against his sweaty, flushed skin. His forearms ache from hours of scrubbing and all he can think about is how badly he wants to fall onto his sofa and sleep for hours. Walking the few blocks form the restaurant to his apartment, Sanji decides to cut through the parking garage instead of using the front entrance of his building. It's the faster option when coming from the direction of the Baratie.

Arriving at the garage, he quickens his pace, passing all the cars in a breeze to get in the building and to his bed. However, something catches his attention off to the side and he turns his head, mouth going dry as he becomes aware of what he's looking at. Right in its normal parking spot sits Zoro's black Honda Civic. Sanji's eyes go wide and his heart jumps to his throat. Zoro came home? Zoro came home! He takes off running to his building as fast as he can. Pounding up the stairs two at a time, his mind rushes a mile a minute with all the things he's going to as Zoro. Where was he? Why did he quit his job? Is he still mad? Can they work it out? Does he still love him?

Stopping in front of his door, he fumbles to pull his keys out of his pocket and goes to jam them into the lock. His hands are shaking, his pulse hammering so hard he swears the neighbors can hear it. Holding his breath, he unlocks the door and pushes it open.

He's greeted with pitch-black darkness, not a single light on in the home. Dropping his gym bag on as quietly as he can, Sanji tiptoes into the living room stealthily, checking to see if Zoro's asleep on the couch. Grimacing when he only finds the blanket and pillow he abandoned there earlier, he chooses to check the bedroom instead. Softly, he pads down the hallway and turns into the doorway of his room. His body tenses as he spies in the dark the outline of a form in the bed. Unable to contain his excitement, he takes a running leap and crashes onto the bed to hug the person lying in it.

Except it's not Zoro - it's not even a person. Sanji's heart breaks as he finds himself hugging his comforter, which is bundled up on one side of the bed in a deceiving fashion. A small sob escapes and he's unable to stop himself from letting the tears flow. Curling into a ball and resting his head on Zoro's pillow, he continues to hug the blanket and cry into the dark. Unsure of why Zoro would have left his car here but too exhausted and upset to contemplate a reasonable answer, his cries turn into soft whimpers and he allows himself to be swept into a restless sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

"Quit fussing over me, Nami! I know how to tie my own tie," Usopp cries, pulling away from the redhead for the third time that day. They are all strewn across Sanji's living room, piecing together the finishing touches to their outfits, preparing to leave for Ace's party.

"Sanji, I'm hungry. Will you cook for me?" Luffy asks, staring longingly at the kitchen.

"Luffy, we just ate lunch before we came over here and there will be food at the party," Nami responds, frowning at herself in her compact mirror as she checks her make-up.

"But I'm hungry now!"

Sanji sighs and lights up another cigarette, anxious for everyone to arrive so they can hit the road. Ace's party is being held at a huge, fancy hotel that's a three hour drive away. They had all decided earlier this week to carpool together in Franky's van – it had been Nami's idea in order to save on gas. As soon as Franky and Robin arrive, they'll be able to pile in and leave. Brook is playing music live for the event and already left this morning to set up.

Drumming his fingers on his knee, Sanji checks his watch – quarter 'til two. The party doesn't start until six but with the long drive and needing to check into hotel rooms to stay for the night, Nami had warned them all that leaving by two is crucial to the plan. The week had flown by for Sanji, with the massive amounts of overtime he was putting in at the restaurant doing odd jobs and chores. It was well worth it to get the weekend completely off, though. Ace is one of his good friends and this is important to him. Not to mention getting to see Zoro for the first time in two weeks.

Usopp drops onto the sofa next to him, grumbling under his breath and flattening his tie. Sanji glances at him from the corner of his eye and takes in his appearance. Whereas he is always dressed up a bit more than his friends, Usopp and the others generally take to a more casual appearance. It's strange seeing the other man in a suit and tie. Luffy is adamantly refusing to wear the suit jacket but Nami threatened him into submission on the tie issue. Sanji's lets out a small chuckle, noticing the younger man still managed to get away with his sandals.

"So… do you think Zoro will be there, Sanji?" Chopper asks nervously from his seat in the overstuffed armchair while fiddling with the end of his pink tie. Sanji smiles softly and shrugs.

"I think so, he did say he would go and Zoro doesn't break promises, does he?"

"No he doesn't," Chopper chirps happily, visibly relaxing at Sanji's response. While Sanji isn't completely sure of the answer he gave, he hopes it's true. It's been too long since he's heard from Zoro. Though he'd never admit it to anyone else, these last few days he'd find himself laying in bed and dialing Zoro's number over and over, holding his breath each time, wishing it would finally ring. It never did though, just that same condescending recording that he'd come to hate informing him that Zoro didn't want to hear from him anymore.

A knock on the door pulls him from his thoughts. Luffy barrels over to open it, cheering when Franky and Robin walk in.

"Robin! Franky – whoa, you're actually wearing pants," the dark-haired man says, scratching the back of his head. Franky is a very tall, broad man whose eccentricities rival even that of Luffy. One of his main quirks being his disdain for full length pants, favoring hot pants or shorts everywhere he goes. Robin must have had a hand in dressing him today as he's standing in Sanji's foyer looking perfectly presentable in a full suit complete with pants and shoes.

"Robin, you look lovely as always," Sanji gushes, moving from the sofa to the door to kiss her hand. She smiles, delicate and poised as always in her long black dress.

"Why thank you, Sanji. You look quite handsome yourself," she says softly causing him to blush. No matter how long he may have been dating Zoro, beautiful women will always be Sanji's weakness.

"Well bros, we have a problem," Franky interrupts, pushing his sunglasses off of his face and onto his head, "My van wouldn't start this morning so I had to drive the truck."

Nami groans, "All of us won't fit in your truck, Franky. How are we gonna get there?"

Sanji looks around at the others. No one in Luffy's apartment has a car and neither does Nami – it's much easier to just rely on public transportation. Brook has a car but he already left in it so that's not an option either. There's always Zoro's car in the garage but that's another issue all together. Sanji still hasn't figured out why Zoro would have left it and if he's being honest, looking at it hurts a little. Too many memories of him and Zoro together seemed to have occurred in that car. But they need wheels and if he has any hope in possibly reuniting with his estranged mosshead he needs to get that party.

Deciding to do what is necessary, he clears his throat and says calmly, "Zoro left his car here. We can take that."

The room quiets immediately as everyone turns to look at him, mouths opening all at once. Before the barrage of questions can fly at him, Sanji holds up his hand and shakes his head, "No I haven't seen Zoro nor do I know why he left his car but it's here and we can use it."

Seeing that he doesn't want to press the issue, Nami nods her head firmly and says, "'Kay, great. So, there's seven of us between two cars… how about four ride in the truck and three ride in the Civic since it's smaller?"

Quickly dividing up it's decided that Franky, Robin, Nami, and Usopp will go in the truck while Sanji drives Luffy and Chopper. Everyone begins gathering themselves together, putting on shoes and checking their pockets and bags to make sure they have everything. Sanji wanders through the apartment and turns off any lights that were left on, a small voice in the back of his mind wondering if the next time he comes home will Zoro be with him?

Luffy and Chopper wait out front as Sanji locks the front door, the others waving goodbye as they trek to the elevator to go ahead and leave. Watching the elevator doors close, Luffy begins giggling and pokes Chopper in the shoulder.

"Hey, Chopper – she's gone! Gimme!" Nodding at Luffy's request, Chopper pulls off his ever-present blue backpack and digs in it, pulling out the infamous straw hat. Still giggling, Luffy plucks it on his head.

Frowning, Sanji pockets his keys and scolds, "You should listen to Nami when she says to leave that at home."

"But it's my brother's party and he doesn't care!" Luffy pouts for a second before challenging Chopper to a race down the stairs. They run off in a fit of laughter, their footsteps echoing in the stairwell. Rolling his eyes, Sanji follows them down the stairs taking his sweet time, adjusting his grey tie as he goes. As soon as he reaches the ground floor and exits the building, he lights up a cigarette and makes his way towards the parking garage.

As Sanji comes upon Zoro's black car, he spots Luffy and Chopper huffing and wheezing from their race, shirts untucked and hair completely disheveled.

"Why am I not surprised," he mutters to himself, unlocking the doors and climbing in. He tosses his black overnight bag into the backseat before Chopper crawls in beside it. Luffy bounds into the front, immediately yelling about how cool Zoro's car is even though he's ridden it a thousand times.

"All these buttons are so awesome, which one works the radio again? It's this one right? Or that one? Oh, can we turn on the air? No, wait! I want to roll down the window!"

Sanji rolls his eyes and starts the car, knowing that no matter how many times he or Zoro have given Luffy a ride, they have to go through this spiel every time. Glancing in the rearview mirror he spots Chopper pull out a big textbook from his bag, obviously set on getting some studying done during the long drive. Luffy finally settles down, deciding on a radio station and to roll his window down. He turns to Sanji and gives him a bright smile while reaching over to pat his arm.

"Zoro will be there, Sanji! We'll talk to him!"

Nodding in response, Sanji rolls down his own window and lights another cigarette – not really caring about Zoro's "no cigarettes in the car" policy. Throwing the car into gear, he backs out of the space and takes off out of the garage, with a strange gnawing in the back of his mind that today is going to change his life.

xxx

They arrive at the hotel right on time at five, with Luffy and Chopper ooh'ing and ahh'ing over how large and beautiful the property is. Gardens and fountains can be seen spread across the property and the building itself is quite large, decorated ornately with large pillars and lavish windows.

"It looks so awesome! I can't wait to go inside!" Luffy yells, bouncing up and down in his seat. Chopper joins him in chattering about how cool the place looks while Sanji finds a parking spot. The two had been pretty quiet the past three hours, with Chopper studying and Luffy watching the scenery, so it comes to no surprise that they have a plethora of pent up energy.

Sanji barely has the car parked before Luffy throws the door open and races out towards the building. Chopper grabs his backpack and scrambles out, screaming for Luffy to wait for him as he chases behind. Sanji raps his knuckles on the steering wheel for a moment before flipping down the visor and opening the mirror. He looks tired; two weeks worth of sleepless nights have taken their toll on him. Sighing at his haggard appearance he flips the visor back up and slumps into his seat, not really wanting to get out of the car and go face other people.

Turning his head to the side, his eyes fall on the passenger seat. Feeling a tinge of sadness, he reaches over and rubs his hand on the back of the seat. It's where he's sat thousands of times as he and Zoro ran errands together, went on road trips together, lived their day to day lives together. They've had so many arguments, so many conversations, and so many comfortable silences in this car. The first time he and Zoro ever did anything sexual with each other he sat in that very same passenger seat.

They had been dating for a few weeks by then but hadn't broken any physical boundaries other than the occasional kissing. Hell, they hadn't even really made out, just small hello and goodbye kisses. Sanji felt so drawn to Zoro but wasn't sure how to act. The man did kiss him first and he did admit to returning Sanji's feelings but he still felt unsure about the whole thing.

They were at a bar, just hanging out and spending their night together, laughing and talking. Some petty squabbling as well, they'd never grow out of that. Sanji had a few too many drinks and was feeling pretty good – really good, actually. Zoro was sipping his beer slowly, enjoying the taste because he knew he had to drive them home. However, things changed as Sanji took the time to actually observe Zoro take a drink.

He watched Zoro as he raised the glass to meet his thin lips, lips that Sanji knew for fact to be soft and warm. He watched as Zoro took a swallow, his Adam's apple bobbing. He watched as Zoro pulled the glass away with a slight flick of his tongue, chasing the last taste of alcohol. He watched as Zoro turned to him and grinned, showing off his perfect, straight teeth. Sanji moved his gaze from the other man's mouth to his eyes and felt a spark light between them.

Apparently Zoro felt the spark too, because he leaned across the table and grabbed Sanji's tie. Before he could even react, he was pulled forward and his lips were taken in a searing kiss. Shocked at the sudden movement, Sanji flailed a bit and grabbed onto Zoro's hand for balance before melting into the kiss. Closing his eyes, he allowed himself to be lost in the sensation of Zoro's lips and tongue on his, reciprocating every bit of enthusiasm he was given. All too soon Zoro pulled away, tugging on Sanji's bottom lip gently as he went before letting it go and sitting back into his seat.

With a quirk of his eyebrow and one last gulp of beer, he grinned at Sanji and asked, "How about we get out of here?"

Sanji nodded and scooted out of the booth, lips still tingling and heart still pounding from the earlier kiss. Zoro paid their tab at the bar and then grabbed Sanji's hand, pulling him out into the warm night air. Sanji took a deep breath, happy to be out of the stuffy bar and reached into his shirt pocket for his cigarettes.

"Nope, you don't need those," Zoro seized his hand and tugged it away from his pocket, pulling him in for another kiss. This time it was much rougher and more desperate, igniting a flame deep inside Sanji. He grabbed Zoro by the back of his head, lacing his fingers through the short strands of green hair and kissed back with as much fire and passion he could muster. Zoro wrapped his arms around Sanji's waist and slid his hands down slowly, resting on Sanji's backside, giving it a firm squeeze.

Sanji tore away from the kiss quickly and frowned, "I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't grope me in the middle of a parking lot, mossy."

"Didn't realize you were such a prude. C'mon then," Zoro growled in annoyance, turning to walk to the car while digging his keys out of his pocket. Sanji rolled his eyes and followed.

Once inside the car, Zoro seemed agitated while fumbling to jam his keys into the ignition. Sanji glanced down and noticed a bulge in the other man's pants and smirked to himself. Prude, huh?

Sanji reached over and plucked the keys from Zoro's hand, setting them into the cup-holder. The green-haired man turned his head to protest but Sanji took the opportunity to steal his lips. Zoro responded enthusiastically, parting his lips instantly to allow their tongues to brush against each other. Groaning into the kiss, Sanji began running his hands down Zoro's chest, feeling his hard muscles through his thin cotton t-shirt. Having a personal trainer for a boyfriend had its benefits.

Pulling away from the kiss, Sanji gave Zoro a cheeky grin before reaching to unzip his jeans. A large, tanned hand covered his and stopped him from proceeding, causing him to look up and see worry in the other man's brown eyes.

"You don't have to…"

Sanji scoffed and pushed Zoro's hand off of his, unzipping his pants completely. Zoro nodded and wiggled the jeans down to his middle thigh, leaving just the black boxer-briefs barely concealing his erection. Sanji eyed the other man hungrily, heart racing and his own member throbbing at the sight. He took one slender finger and ran it down the outline of Zoro's shaft, feeling it pulse through the cotton under his touch. Zoro let out a small groan and bit his lip, gazing at Sanji as he continued to lightly stroke him.

Needing to hear Zoro groan again, Sanji moved his hand to the waistband of Zoro's boxer-briefs and tugged them down, revealing his hardness. Sanji licked his lips as he wrapped his hand around Zoro, giving a few experimental caresses. Zoro groaned again, closing his eyes and resting his head against the back of his seat. Instantly, Sanji was addicted to hearing that low voice moan, wanting nothing more than to make the usually stoic and quiet man become putty in his hands. He began rubbing hard and quicker, pulling grunts and sighs from Zoro with each stroke.

Every noise that came from Zoro went straight to Sanji's groin, causing his own erection to press tightly against the zipper of his pants. Wanting to cause the other man to lose control, he bent his head forward, giving a tentative lick. Zoro muttered a 'holy shit,' motivating Sanji to go further. He wrapped his lips around the tip, sucking on it gently and continuing to run his tongue over it, his confidence building feeling Zoro twitch under him.

Zoro placed a hand on the back of his head, fingers knotting gently in his blond tresses as he gained speed, working his mouth up and down the man's length. Wrapping his hand around the base of Zoro's shaft, he began pumping in perfect rhythm with his sucking. Zoro gripped his hair tighter, groaning and grunting obscenities with every moment.

"Fuck… shit… ah… Sanji…"

Sanji groaned himself hearing his name leave the other man's lips in such a seductive tone. His groan rumbled against Zoro's cock, causing the other man to thrust up into his mouth involuntarily. He quickened his pace, wanting nothing more than to make the other man come because of him. He felt Zoro tense beneath him and he knew he was close. Pushing himself down Zoro's length as far as he could, he swallowed around the other man, causing him to moan out.

"Sanji, if you don't want a mouthful you need to move."

Grinning around Zoro's erection, Sanji ignored his warning and continued bobbing his head. With one final grunt, Zoro clutched his hair tightly and held his head still, shuddering as he came into Sanji's mouth. Feeling the hot liquid shoot against his tongue, Sanji swallowed it greedily, wanting every last drop for himself. Wondering why making the other man orgasm made him feel such a euphoric high, he realized that he had come in his pants at some point during the exchange.

Coming down from his orgasm, Zoro let go of the blond's abused locks and sighed contentedly. He tenderly pulled Sanji's head up and gave him an affectionate, lingering kiss. Sanji moved away and sat back into his own seat, breathing heavy and gazing at Zoro. The green haired man wiped the faint sheen of sweat from his forehead before inhaling deeply and sighing. Silently he pulled his pants back up and started the ignition, rolling down the windows. He turned and gave Sanji a huge grin, a flicker of excitement in his eye.

"Let's go to my place, cook. I need to repay the favor."

Rapping on his window disturbs Sanji from his thoughts, as he jumps slightly and looks through the tinted glass. Nami is standing next to his door, hands on her hips glaring at him. Quickly he unbuckles and reaches into the backseat for his overnight bag, using his turned body to his advantage as he adjusts himself. She backs away to give him space to open the door.

"What's taking you so long, Sanji? We gotta check into our rooms," she huffs, tapping her high-heeled foot impatiently.

"Sorry, Nami. I got… sidetracked," he shrugs, hoping that the tightness in his pants is unnoticeable. She just rolls her eyes at him and pulls on his arm, leading him to the hotel entrance.

The lobby is just as grandiose as the outside of the building. A beautiful fountain in the middle of the room, with well decorated walls and plush seating around it. Sanji lets out a low whistle, impressed that Ace and Marco picked out such a luxurious place. Spotting the rest of their group huddled near the front desk, Nami and Sanji make their way over. Robin is at the counter, speaking with the front desk clerk.

"Yes, we have four rooms reserved for the Portgas event. They are under the names Robin Nico, Nami Mikan, Luffy Monkey, and … " she turns to look at Sanji expectantly. Realizing that she's unsure if he's booked under his name or Zoro's he quickly clarifies.

"Sanji Black."

She nods and turns back to the clerk who also nods, typing into his computer. Clicking his mouse around a couple times he smiles and says, "Ah, I got all four of you right here. Just hold on one moment and you'll be checked right in."

A couple minutes later, four room keys are distributed and they are informed where their rooms are as well as where the banquet hall for the party is. Luckily they're all booked right near each other in the same wing. Robin thanks the man kindly as everybody turns to leave and find their rooms. Sanji hangs back for a moment and asks the desk clerk quietly.

"Has a Zoro Roronoa checked in today for the same event?"

"I'm sorry, sir. For privacy reasons I'm unable to reveal if a specific person has checked in or out of our hotel," the man recites his scripted apology with a sympathetic smile.

Sighing, Sanji thanks the man again and moves to follow the others to the elevators across the lobby. Luffy is unabashedly touching everything he walks by, loudly exclaiming how awesome the hotel is and earning himself glares from the staff. Nami frowns and stomps on his foot, quietly scolding him, "Act like you've been in public before."

They reach the elevators and pile in, Chopper pressing the button for the tenth floor. Nami clears her throat and begins assigning rooms, "All right, obviously Franky and Robin are together. Chopper and I agreed to split a room, Usopp and Luffy, and sorry Sanji, looks like you're stuck footing the bill for this one alone."

An awkward silence settles between them, the only noise coming from the ding announcing each floor. Sanji scowls at the group, hating that any time Zoro or the lack of Zoro is brought up, he receives awkwardness and sympathy. He clenches his fists, deciding to put an end to it once and for all.

"As much as I appreciate your sympathy and worry, please stop walking on egg shells around me when it comes to Zoro. It makes me uncomfortable and I don't need any pity."

The six of them look at him in shock before Luffy breaks the silence by laughing and slapping a hand on Sanji's shoulder.

"'Kay, sounds good! I'm hungry, I can't wait to eat!"

With the sudden topic change from Sanji's turmoil to the prospect of food, the elevator lights up with chatter. Robin's gaze lingers on Sanji for a few seconds more before the elevator doors open on their floor and they all promptly exit. Locating their hotel rooms swiftly, they all agree to meet back in the hallway in thirty minutes to head to Ace's party.

Sanji closes the door behind him takes a look around the room. A large king size bed sits in the middle with the standard dresser, television, and reading desk splayed across the space. No matter how much money you pay, it seems a hotel room is always just a hotel room. He sighs and throws his bag on the bed, moving to the large mirror to look at his appearance. Tie still straight, jacket free of wrinkles, pants clean… everything checks out fine. Glancing at his watch, he isn't sure of what to do with himself for the next twenty-five minutes.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, he absent-mindedly pulls out his phone and scrolls through the contacts. Almost as if on autopilot he pulls up "Mossy" and clicks on it, verifying once again that the number is still disconnected. Growling he tosses his phone on the floor and runs his hands through his hair, hating his incessant need to torture himself over this.

He falls back onto the bed and stares up at the ceiling, thinking about what he'll say when he finally sees Zoro. He thought he'd feel more nervous now that he's finally here but surprisingly he doesn't, just some anxiety about whether or not the other man will actually show up. Luffy seems sure he will, though, and the dark-haired man has a knack for being right about these things.

Closing his eyes, he plays different scenarios in his head of how to approach Zoro, what to say, what to do. Does he act relieved? Hurt? Angry? Nonchalant? Will Zoro avoid him or act like nothing happened? Will he agree to come back to the apartment?

Lost in his thoughts, he doesn't realize the amount of time that passes until he hears a knock on his door. Jerking up, he heaves himself off the bed and spies his phone on the floor from where he dropped it earlier, bending to pick it up. Making his way over to the door, he glances at his appearance in the mirror, raising a hand to flatten his hair in the back.

Another knock sounds and he grumbles to himself before opening the door to reveal an excited Chopper waiting for him, huge smile spread across his boyish face.

"Are you ready to go Sanji? Everyone's waiting at the elevators!"

Sanji nods and pulls his door closed, reaching over to ruffle the young man's hair. His hand is met with a playful swat as Chopper giggles and leads them to the rest of the group standing at the elevators. Spotting Nami in her light green dress, he immediately swoops in to inform her of her radiance.

"Nami, you look absolutely wonderful in that dress. The color is perfect for you… it reminds me of…," he stops his fawning and pauses for a second, realizing that the color reminds him of Zoro's hair. He gulps and shakes his head, offering a warm smile, "It just looks really nice on you."

"Why thank you, Sanji. You look handsome as well – Zoro won't be able to say no to you," Nami responds with a wink. Sanji finds himself blushing at her compliment, warmth pooling in his chest at her words. When he dressed himself this morning, the only thing that was on his mind was the need to impress Zoro and woo him back.

The elevator reaches their floor and dings, the doors opening to allow them inside. The seven of them shuffle in and Usopp reaches over to the buttons, turning to Robin and asking, "What is the floor for the banquet hall again?"

"Ah, I believe the clerk said it's on the fourth floor."

Nodding in response, Usopp presses the button and the doors close, the elevator beginning its descent. Nami and Robin chat bubbly while Luffy and Usopp complain about being hungry. Franky begins striking various poses and asking Chopper if he's going to show off his 'super dance moves' tonight. Sanji smiles softly, glad to have his friends acting normal around him again.

Arriving at their floor, the group emerges from the elevator and follows the signs leading them to the banquet hall hosting Ace and Marco's event. The smell of food permeates the air, causing Luffy to cheer excitedly and run ahead, letting his nose lead him.

"Food! I smell food! I hope there's a buffet!" the dark-haired man yells, practically drooling as he rushes towards the room they need to be in. Faint music can be heard from the doorway and as they get closer, Sanji can feel a knot tightening in his throat.

As he enters the room, Sanji is taken aback by the sheer size of it. The space is huge, the back wall covered in floor to ceiling windows overlooking the hotel's gardens. It's decorated elegantly with deep reds and light blues. A small stage is set up in a corner where he can spy Brook's thin frame and massive afro maneuvering around amps and instruments.

"Hey guys! I'm glad you came!"

Sanji tears his eyes away from his ogling and his gaze lands on the beaming, freckled man. His smile is contagious and Sanji finds himself grinning back as he offers his hand, "Ace! Congratulations!"

Ace frowns at the hand before taking it and pulling Sanji in for a hug, laughing in his ear, "Don't offer me a handshake after all these years, man. You're like family to me."

Nodding, Sanji hugs back before drawing away and turning to Marco, who is standing at Ace's side. He grins at Marco, who smirks back and offers him a hand to shake. Taking it, Sanji squeezes tight and pats Marco on the back, "Congrats, man. Hope the wedding was good?"

"It was really nice. I'm glad we decided to do it this way. Y'know we're not ones for formalities," Marco replies, his sleepy eyes shining with joy. Sanji feels a tinge of jealousy at their happiness and he quickly pushes it away.

"For people who dislike formalities you sure picked a luxurious and expensive place to have your wedding party," Nami huffs, shoving next to Sanji to give Ace a hug.

Marco laughs and shrugs, "We like this place. It's beautiful. C'mon, it's not that expensive."

Letting Nami go, Ace looks around the room with a puzzled expression, obviously searching for someone. Turning to Sanji he asks, "Where's my little brother?"

"Ah, I believe that's him over there helping himself to the hors d'oeuvres," Robin replies, chuckling softly behind her hand. Sure enough, Sanji spies a familiar straw hat wandering up and down the table, loading up a small plate with finger foods. A certain curly haired student and young doctor are right behind him.

"Those three," Ace says while rolling his eyes, "Well guys, enjoy the party. Apparently we are supposed to mingle at these things."

With a small bow, he takes his new husband's arm and drags him in the direction of another group of people to make small talk. Their group quickly disperses, Robin and Franky heading straight to the dance floor at Franky's insistence. Nami moves to settle herself down at the table Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper are occupying, stealing a finger sandwich off Usopp's plate.

Sanji shoves his hands deep in his pockets and wanders around between the groups of people, keeping an eye out for any flash of green he can find. He doesn't know too many of Ace and Marco's friends but some faces look familiar. Not familiar enough for him to stop and talk to, though. Staff members provided by the hotel drift through the room with small notepads in hand, taking orders for the open bar. Sanji flags one down and asks for a double whiskey.

While waiting for his drink, he moseys over to where the stage is set up, seeing Brook playing guitar and singing an upbeat, love tune. Spotting Sanji he nods his head and smiles as he continues to sing, looking peculiar as ever in his sunglasses and tuxedo.

Franky is in the middle of the dance floor dancing outrageously, causing a large group of people to laugh and cheer for him. Robin is giggling at him from the crowd, clapping and cheering for him as well. Sanji smiles at the sight, glad that she's found someone who makes her so happy. When he first met Robin, she'd lived alone and focused only on her work and research. One day Sanji, Robin, and Nami were at a sushi restaurant when Usopp came by with a friend and introduced them. Franky and Robin clicked instantly and began dating a few weeks later. That was three years ago and they'd been together ever since.

A small surge of sadness wells up in his chest as he watches Robin smile and laugh at Franky with so much adoration in her face. He wonders briefly if people ever watched him looking at Zoro like that. The knot in his throat tightens and he tries to clear it away with no success. A short waiter walks up to him and hands him his drink before bowing and leaving to take care of other guests. Sanji tosses it back promptly and enjoys the burn as it trickles down his throat.

He keeps to himself as the night progresses, spending his time in the shadows and observing the party. Luffy and Chopper have joined Franky in dancing to Brook's music, with Usopp twirling Nami around as she cackles. Ace and Marco have joined the fiasco on the dance floor causing uproars of laughter with their antics. Sanji wants to be lighthearted and join the fun but as the hours tick by, he becomes more and more depressed at the fact that Zoro hasn't shown up.

Sipping on his sixth or seventh double whiskey of the night, he sits at the small table and watches his friends enjoy the celebrations. His gaze follows Ace as he breaks away from the party on the dance floor and walks over to his table, plopping down into the seat across from him.

"Whew, it's a blast over there, why don't you join us?" he asks while panting and wiping the sweat from his forehead. Sanji shrugs and takes another sip of his drink, completely numb to the burn at this point.

"Is it because of Zoro?" Ace presses, earning a surprised glance from Sanji No one had mentioned Zoro all night, even though he witnessed all of his friends give him sympathetic glances followed by hushed whispers.

"Yeah… he called me the other day and apologized, saying he wouldn't be able to make it. Sanji, I want you to tell me what's going on between you two. Tomorrow morning come to breakfast with me and Marco and tell us what's going on."

Sanji nods absent-mindedly, not really processing anything Ace says past 'he wouldn't be able to make it.' So Zoro really didn't come. Luffy was so sure he'd keep his promise and be here tonight. At least he had the common courtesy to call and apologize.

Sanji jerks his head up and looks at Ace wide eyed, almost spitting his drink onto the table as he exclaims, "Zoro called you?!"

"Uh, yeah… that's what I just said," Ace responds, quirking one eyebrow.

"Do you have the number he called from?" Sanji inquires further, clutching his glass tightly.

"I'm sure it's still in my phone upstairs. Look, I'll give it to you tomorrow if you agree to come to breakfast with me and talk about things, ok?"

Sanji agrees instantly, needing a way to contact Zoro. Ace reaches over and pats him on the shoulder before getting up and rejoining his husband and friends. Sanji remains at the table, staring into the amber liquid of his drink and allows the waves of loneliness to continue to wash over him.


	5. Chapter 5

3:00am.

Sanji stares at the red numbers on the digital clock from him position in bed, the curves of their figures burning into his vision. Sleep has eluded him ever since he returned to his hotel room after Ace's party – having retired before any of his other friends. About half an hour ago he heard them all giggling and causing a racket in the hallway as they paraded back to their rooms.

Sighing, he rolls onto his back and frowns, unable to find a comfortable position. The king size bed is too large and, if he's being honest with himself, too lonely. With the exception of one night – the night he found Zoro's car in the parking garage – he'd slept on his couch ever since the other man left. Flopping back over onto his side, he comes face to face with the shitty digital clock again, red numbers still glowing, almost mocking him.

The room is so quiet it's almost deafening. Sanji had gotten so used to sleeping to the soundtrack of Zoro's snoring that it feels wrong without it. He scowls in the dark, resenting himself for ever complaining about the noise. He misses the rise and fall of the other man's chest with every breath and the small puffs of air that would blow softly on his head with each exhale. He also misses the strong arms that would never fail to find his lithe body in the night and pull him close. The cuddling amused Sanji at first, especially with how adamantly Zoro would deny it when he teased him. But now in his isolation, he would give anything to be snuggled into the man's warm embrace.

A light tapping can be heard from the direction of his door and Sanji scowls, unsure of who would be at his room this late. He rolls out of bed and pads over to look through the peephole. He's met with a large brown eye staring back to him and frowns before tugging open the door.

Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper are standing in the hallway in their pajamas with pillows tucked under their arms and wide grins on their faces. The way Luffy is swaying slightly and Usopp is giggling tells him that they're probably still drunk. Sanji leans against the doorway looking them up and down before asking, "What do you guys want?"

"We're gonna have a sleepover!" Luffy yells way too loudly, causing Chopper and Usopp to both shush him immediately.

"Shut up Luffy, it's 3:30. You're gonna wake people up!" Usopp scolds.

"Yeah Luffy, then Nami will come yell at us," Chopper adds with a hiccup, nervously looking over his shoulder at her room door.

Chuckling and shaking his head, Sanji moves to let them into his room, feeling almost relieved at their antics. He suspects that Luffy, even in his drunken state, knew he wouldn't want to be alone after the disappointment of Zoro not showing up at the party. The dark-haired man pats him on the arm as he walks into the room, followed by a grinning Usopp and an elated Chopper.

Chopper flips on a light switch as Luffy jumps onto Sanji's bed, "Ooh your bed is huge, Sanji! We'll all fit in it fine!"

"You're all three planning on sleeping in my bed?" Sanji snorts, looking between the three of them. Luffy is already making himself cozy as Chopper and Usopp begin positioning their pillows and crawling in next to him.

"Uh, yeah… this is a sleepover. It's big enough – c'mon!"

Shrugging, amused at the entire situation and secretly thankful for the company, Sanji turns the light back off and feels his way to the bedside. He climbs in, delivering a kick to Usopp.

"Hey! What was that for?"

"Scoot over, idiot. And quit hogging the covers, Luffy."

After some wiggling, mostly from Luffy, and some giggling provided by Chopper, the four of them settle comfortably. Sanji gives one final glance at the clock before an orchestra of snoring soothes him into a dreamless sleep.

xXx

Sanji feels warmth wrapped around him as he snuggles further into the covers, beginning the slow waking up process. There's rhythmic breathing blowing against his shoulder and in his sleep haze, he presses closer to the body beside him, wishing to be held tighter. If he's lucky, mornings like this result in lazy kisses passed between him and Zoro before one of them has to get up and begin their morning routine.

But there's something off about the situation. The arm flung over his waist is far too thin and small, the chest he's pressed against isn't broad or muscular, and the soft snores are more nasally than what he's used to hearing. Confused, he cracks open one eye and turns his head to find Chopper deep in slumber and spooning him. Sanji can't help but smile at the younger man, who looks even more boyish and innocent in his sleep, before gently picking Chopper's arm off of his waist and scooting out of bed.

Usopp is asleep on the floor, sprawled out and snoring, which puzzles Sanji because he's sure he fell asleep next to the curly-haired man and not Chopper. Shrugging, he grabs his overnight bag and slips into the bathroom, closing the door quietly. Setting his bag on the counter, he begins pulling out all the things he needs to prepare for the day. He turns on the water to brush his teeth and stares at himself in the mirror as he brushes, wondering how breakfast will go this morning.

He knows Ace will demand answers from him… answers to questions Sanji doesn't want to be asked. Just the thought of admitting to someone else that he cheated on Zoro makes his stomach churn. How would he be able to face his friends if they knew that? He guesses he should've thought of that before letting things go that far. Suddenly extremely disgusted with himself, he spits into the sink and turns on the shower, twisting the knob as hot as it goes.

He sheds his clothes as steam fills the small hotel bathroom and steps into the scalding water, hissing between his clenched teeth at the burning heat. He's sure that the water is painting his skin red with its high temperature but he doesn't care – he deserves the pain. Grabbing the tiny hotel soap, he begins scrubbing his body raw, attempting to wash away the shame.

Once he's clean and rinsed, he grabs a towel and quickly dries off before pulling on his boxers and jeans. Opening the door to the room, he shivers at the sudden temperature difference and walks over to grab his shirt off the chair he draped it on yesterday. Chopper stirs at the sound and opens one sleepy eye at him with a content smile. Comprehending what he's looking at causes him to go wide-eyed and all but screams, "Sanji! Your skin is so red! You might have first degree burns!"

The younger man hops out of bed, kicking Luffy in the process and scurries across the room to assess Sanji's back. He grimaces at the small hands that are poking and prodding him, brushing Chopper aside with an unaffected, "It's fine."

Chopper opens his mouth to argue but a huge yawn from Luffy cuts him off as the dark-haired man wakes up and stretches. Scratching his head, he looks around the room before asking, "Whoa, why am I in Sanji's room?"

Usopp sits up from where he is laying on the floor and deadpans, "You decided we should have a sleepover, remember?"

"Oh. Awesome!" Luffy cheers before hopping off the bed and going into the bathroom. Sanji watches Usopp as he stretches and cracks his back, looking stiff from lying on the floor all night. Which reminds him –

"Hey Usopp, didn't you fall asleep in the bed?"

Usopp stops his stretching and turns to Sanji with a strange expression on his face, "I, uh, did but you kept trying to cuddle me and you were making this weird, uh, noise…"

Sanji looks at him expectantly.

"Like, um, whimpering? Maybe?" Usopp offers as an explanation, before shrugging and continuing his stretching. Sanji feels a slight blush of embarrassment tinge his cheeks but instantly hardens his expression as he becomes aware of it. Surely Usopp was just hearing things – probably had a dream about puppies attacking him or something.

Chopper taps him lightly and he turns to the frowning boy staring up at him, pointing at his torso, "Do not shower with the water that hot, Sanji. It's really bad for you."

"Okay, okay, I won't, alright? Fuck's sake… get out of my room, sleepover is done. I need a cigarette and then I'm going to breakfast with Ace."

"Breakfast? Ace?" Luffy exclaims as he opens the door form the bathroom and steps back into the room, "Can I come? I want breakfast, too!"

Sanji rolls his eyes and chews on his bottom lip, really needing that cigarette about now. He pulls on his blue hoodie and pushes up the sleeves while responding, "No, I gotta talk to Ace and Marco about Zoro. He called them last night."

Chopper's face fell immediately at the mention of Zoro. He looks up at Sanji, his big brown eyes welling up with the threat of tears, "Zoro didn't come last night. I'm so sorry, Sanji."

Unsure of what else to do, Sanji reaches over pulls the younger man in for an awkward hug. Chopper lunges into Sanji's arms and squeezes tight as Sanji peers over his head and makes eye contact with Luffy. Luffy has a strange, unreadable expression on his face and he looks away from Sanji to Usopp, who is staring at Chopper in concern.

Usopp moves off the floor to take a seat on Sanji's bed and thinks for a moment, obviously wanting to choose his words carefully. He opens his mouth and speaks slowly and thoughtfully, "Sanji… I know this is hard on you but we're Zoro's friends, too. It's not fair that he's avoiding all of us because of you."

Sanji nods and feels guiltier than ever that he's brought this upon his friends. Fucking Zoro, that shitty bastard. Sanji's the one who did him wrong, not Luffy or Chopper or any of them. Why does he have to be this way?

He pats Chopper on the head and clears his throat, "Alright guys, thanks for the sleepover but its time to go. I need a fucking smoke."

The three of them nod and gather their things to leave. On his way out the door, Luffy turns to Sanji and asks, "Hey Sanji, Chopper is heading back with Franky and them but I'm stickin' around. You're okay with givin' me a lift back, right?"

Sanji nods as he slides his shoes on and follows Luffy into the hall, "Yeah no problem, I figured I was going to."

"Alright, awesome! I'm gonna go find some food and maybe go bug some of Ace's friends – they're really cool. See ya."

With a small wave, Luffy heads down the hall to the elevators. Sanji smirks at his disappearing form. Leave it to Luffy to prioritize food over a shower and change of clothes. He leans against his door and pulls out his phone to call Ace. After a few rings, a sleepy sounding Marco answers, "Hello?"

"Hey Marco, it's Sanji – just callin' to see when you guys wanted to get breakfast."

He can hear some shuffling and muffled talking in the background before Marco comes back to the line, "Oh, hey. We're just waking up, will probably be ready in about forty-five minutes. There's a restaurant on the ground floor – is that okay?"

"Sure, sounds great."

Once he's hung up the phone, Sanji sighs and reaches into his pocket and pulls out his cigarettes, checking to see how many he has left. There's only four but that'll be enough to get him to breakfast; he can go buy some after. Turning on his heel, he walks down the hall and opts to take the stairs instead of the elevator.

Listening to the echo of his shoes clicking on the linoleum stairs, he trudges his way down several floors, pondering what he's going to tell Ace. Heaving a sigh as he reaches the main floor, he resolves to not worry about it anymore and just see what questions they have for him first. He makes his way outside into the hotel's gardens and lights a cigarette as soon as he's away from the building.

Inhaling the smoke deeply, he closes his eyes and enjoys the feeling of the day's first rush of nicotine. He moves to take a seat on a bench and stares out at the expansive lawn and gardens of the hotel. It's well maintained but Autumn has taken its toll on the plants and trees, giving everything a beautiful orange and yellow glow. He can't help but think about how much Zoro would love to be here, enjoying the view.

Sulking at the mere thought of Zoro, Sanji takes another long drag. It feels so surreal to be without the other man. Although they'd been dating for two years, they'd been friends twice as long. Their crew stuck together pretty close and Zoro was always there, at every party, every event, every outing. No matter what, Zoro was always guaranteed to be there – a fixed structure in Sanji's life. Like an anchor tethered to his foot to keep him from floating away.

Whenever Sanji got too impassioned – whether it was in anger, in excitement, or even in lust – Zoro was right there, reeling him back in - usually in the form of a snide comment or haughty sound. It used to piss him off something fierce but upon reflection, Sanji's realized that it's something he needed. Stability was never a constant in his life – a childhood spent mostly alone, the overhaul of Zeff finding him and adopting him, and then living in the hectic environment of being raised in a restaurant.

Zoro was stable, however. Since Sanji's known him he's had the same job, the same haircut, he even had the same pair of ugly boots until Sanji forced him to by a new pair a few months ago. The man exudes stability. Unfortunately, Sanji hadn't really figured that out until Zoro left and he found himself missing the man more than he ever thought possible.

It completely interrupted his routine. After he bought a new coffee pot – the old one being destroyed in his kitchen rampage – it felt bizarre to only pour one cup of coffee instead of two. No matter what, he couldn't stop himself from making too much food, always having to stick leftovers in the fridge. No goodbye kisses as he left for work, no mossheads snoozing on the sofa waiting for him to get home. And now here he is watching the morning bloom in the Autumn glow and he's chain-smoking all by himself.

Glancing at his watch, he decides to go ahead and grab a table and a cup of coffee. Tossing his cigarette butts into the bin provided, he wanders back into the hotel lobby and quickly locates his destination. The hostess leads him to a table in the back corner and leaves him with three menus and a smile.

Sanji scans the menu as a petite waitress comes to take his coffee order. As he waits, he stares off into space and eventually spots Ace and Marco walk in. Ace notices him and waves, tugging Marco's arm as they approach his table.

"Hey! Been waiting long?"

"Nah, just got here. Thought I'd get some coffee," he responds. The three of them glance through the menu in silence and place their orders when the waitress comes back with coffee. As soon as the menus are cleared and she walks away, Ace turns back to Sanji.

"So, Sanji… what's goin' on? Trouble in paradise? This better be good considering one of my closest friends missed out on my big wedding celebration."

Sanji takes a swig of his coffee, concentrating on not staring at the glimmering wedding bands on Ace and Marco's fingers. He shrugs as he sets the cup back down, "We, uh, got into a fight a couple weeks ago and Zoro walked out. Haven't seen or heard from him since."

Marco frowns at his vague explanation and exchanges glances with Ace, who presses on, "Well, yeah, but you guys fight all the time. Usually you kiss and make up before anyone can figure out what you're even fighting over. Why is it so bad this time?"

Sanji averts his gaze to stare into his coffee mug, wringing his hands in his lap. He opens his mouth but closes it again, unsure of what to say. He can't tell them the truth – not yet. What if they think he deserves Zoro's treatment and refuse to give him the phone number? Besides that, it's… private. And embarrassing. Sanji doesn't think he'd be able to stay in the same room with Ace if he told him now.

The newlyweds are staring at him intently with worried expressions. Sighing, Sanji speaks softly, "I don't really want to go into details. I fucked up pretty bad and I'm doing my best to try to fix things but Zoro won't even talk to me. How can I make it better if he won't let me?"

"How bad are we talking, Sanji?" Marco asks, taking a drink of his coffee.

"Pretty bad. But if he would just talk to me, I could fix it. When he left he didn't even say a word to me. He just upped and walked out the door – that's it. I just need that phone number so I can get ahold of him and try to work it out," Sanji's voice cracks at the end and he clears his throat, not wanting to sound too desperate. But he figures it's probably too late considering the look of pity on Ace's face.

The freckled man reaches across the table and pats Sanji on the shoulder and nods, "Okay, Sanji. I get it, I really do. I won't pry but Zoro's my friend, too, ya know. If he doesn't want to talk to you then I'm not sure if I should get involved."

Sanji's pulse quickens but his impending freak out is stalled by their food being delivered. Ace's eyes go wide and he cheers at the sight of the plates stacked with pancakes and bacon, digging in as soon as his touches the table. Marco gives him a bemused grin, being the much politer of the two when it comes to table manners.

Sanji stares at his own plate, completely devoid of an appetite. However, he learned at a young age not to waste food so he picks up his fork to shovel in a few bites anyway. Once his plate is half empty, Ace gives Sanji a thoughtful look mid-chew. Sanji scrunches his nose in disgust as the other man asks him through a mouthful of eggs, "One thing I don't get is why you need me to give you that phone number?"

Getting slightly annoyed at Ace's apparent inability to listen, Sanji huffs and speaks slowly, "I don't have a way of contacting Zoro. I don't even know where the hell he is."

Ace swallows and sits back in his chair, confusion written all over his face, "Yeah I get that but… Luffy talks to him all the time. Why not just ask him?"

Sanji drops his fork on his plate and stares at Ace wide-eyed. Learning forward, he snarls through clenched teeth, "What did you just say?"

"Uh, I said to ask Luffy for Zoro's number. I know my brother's been talking to him. Guess you didn't?"

Sanji slams his fist on the table, his blood pressure rising. Fuck no Luffy didn't tell him that he's been talking to Zoro this entire time. So did he know that Zoro wasn't going to be at the party? Why didn't he tell Sanji?

"Calm down. Beating on the table won't change your situation," Marco says evenly. His face is expressionless but his voice has a threatening edge to it. Taking a few relaxing breaths, Sanji unclenches his fist and rubs his face in his hands. He can't help but wonder if Luffy knows the whole story. Just the thought alone sends him into a mild panic.

"I have to find Luffy," he mutters, mostly to himself. Removing his hands from his face, he turns back to Ace, who has continued eating, and demands "You have to give me that number, Ace. Luffy will never tell me."

Ace ponders this for a second before agreeing, "All right but only if you promise you won't murder my brother."

"I'll try not to but can't make any guarantees," he says with a scowl, pulling out his phone to add the number to his contacts list.

xXx

After finishing breakfast with Marco and Ace and saying goodbye, Sanji decides to head back up to his room and gather his things to check out. On his way to the elevator he shoots Luffy a text letting him know they're leaving soon. He takes a few calming breaths and steps into the elevator, jamming the 'close door' button as hard as he can.

He can't believe Luffy kept him in the dark like that, knowing how much he was suffering with worry about Zoro. Feeling the anger rise, he turns to the wall and gives a swift kick, the sound of his shoe hitting the woodwork echoing through the empty space.

Pulling at his hair, he growls and paces in the cramped area as the elevator continues to ascend to his floor. He's trying to process just exactly what the hell's been going on. Zoro just left, quit his job, and has only been talking to Luffy? Has he been talking to everyone else, too? Is Sanji the only one out of the loop? He gulps at the thought. He knows he needs to cool off before he sees Luffy, otherwise things are going to get ugly. The elevator dings as it stops at his floor and he hastily exits, heading straight for his hotel room.

Flinging open his door, he collects his belongings on autopilot. In the back of his mind he knows he needs to stop and breathe but he doesn't want to – all he wants to do is find Luffy and demand answers. In no time at all, his bag is packed and he finds himself storming down the stairs to check out and leave.

He feels his phone vibrate and glimpses at it, seeing Luffy texted him.

K, c u at the car :)

Setting his face in a determined scowl, he hurries down the last few flights of stairs and by the time he's in the lobby, he's almost jogging to the check out counter. The young lady working behind the desk greets him with a smile sweet enough it could give cavities. Normally he would smile back and do a little flirting to brighten her day. Not today, though – not right now. He goes through the check out process as quickly as he can and hurries out the door to the parking lot.

Pulling out his pack of smokes, he sees he's on his last cigarette. Placing it between is lips, he swiftly lights up and sucks in deep, wanting to feel the burn. His overnight bag bangs against his hip as he takes long strides to the car. Arriving before Luffy, he dumps the bag in the trunk and leans against the vehicle to wait.

Sanji knows that he should try to relax the tension in his shoulders and practice that shitty meditative breathing that Zoro always goes on about. But Zoro isn't here so he takes another drag of his cigarette and allows himself to be washed away in a sea of anger.

Sanji spies a familiar straw hat exiting the hotel and Luffy is jovially walking across the parking lot towards the car, a huge smile on his face. Seeing him in person makes Sanji's blood boil even more and without even realizing it, he's crossing the lot to meet Luffy halfway.

Seeing the rage on Sanji's face, the dark-haired man's smile falters and he slows his pace, looking around bewildered. Sanji continues storming right to him and grabs the front of his t-shirt in a fist.

"Sanji? What's –" Luffy begins but is cut off by an enraged roar from Sanji as he shakes the man slightly.

"What the fuck, Luffy?! You've been talking to Zoro this whole time?!" Sanji shouts in the dark-haired man's face, causing him to wince slightly at the close proximity.

Luffy looks off to the side and mumbles, "I don't know what you're talking about."

This pisses Sanji off even more and he grasps the shirt tighter, pulling Luffy in closer. The dark-haired man keeps his eyes averted and clamps his mouth shut, saying nothing.

"Of course you do, you idiot. You're the shittiest liar I've ever met, don't even try," Sanji barks out and lets go of Luffy's t-shirt, crossing his arms and tapping his foot impatiently. "Well? Explain. Now."

Luffy scratches the back of his head and looks meekly at the ground, shuffling his weight between his legs, "I dunno what you want me to say. Yeah – Zoro's kept in contact with me but he made me promise not to tell you. I couldn't break a promise."

"Did he tell you?" Sanji demands, leaning into the dark-haired man's space again.

"Tell me what?"

"Tell you why he left."

Luffy scrunches his face up in thought before replying, "No he didn't say why you guys broke up."

Sanji's knees buckle slightly as he feels his heart slam to the ground. Broke up? They're broken up? He should have assumed as much but to hear it confirmed hurts more than he could have ever imagined. Breathing ragged, he manages to choke out, "He said we broke up, huh?"

Kicking a pebble on the ground, Luffy shrugs and says, "No… I don't know. I mean, I just thought so since he's not talking to you and stuff. I dunno, Sanji. I don't like being in the middle like this."

Heaving a huge sigh of relief, Sanji feels a surge of tension and panic immediately wash away. So Zoro didn't distinctly say they're broken up. There's still a chance to set things right.

"I'm guessing you won't tell me where he is, will you?"

The younger man shakes his head, "I promised and I can't break that. He's my best friend, you understand right?"

Seeing that it's truly not Luffy's fault – just the dumbass mosshead being the usual moron – Sanji simply nods and turns back to return to the car. What a fucked up situation this has turned into.

"Are you mad at me now?" he hears Luffy mumble from behind him. Stopping in his tracks, he gives an almost unnoticeable shake of his head. He can't be mad at Luffy. He's hurt, that much is true, but it's his own damn fault for being a fucking idiot. Luffy hollers with joy and jogs to catch up with him, grabbing his arm and yelling, "C'mon Sanji, let's go home."

Meandering to his side of the car, Sanji climbs into the driver's seat and watches Luffy go through the same song and dance as always. He feels numb, completely emotionally drained from his morning of highs and lows. Sticking the key in the ignition he groans inwardly and starts the car, needing to go to the nearest gas station and buy a pack of smokes. Luffy gives him a sideways glance and reaches over to pat his shoulder. Sanji wishes people would stop doing that.

"It's gonna be okay, just give him time."

Shrugging Luffy's hand off, Sanji looks into the rearview mirror and backs out of the spot. He's given the man time. He waited over a week to see Zoro at this party and the shitty bastard didn't show up. Giving Zoro time is over. He feels the weight of his phone resting in his pants pocket and grins to himself, thinking that in just three hours time he will be home to make that phone call.


	6. Chapter 6

Sanji opens the door to his apartment and winces at the sound of his own footsteps echoing in the empty space. He's not used to being at home on Sundays – it's one of the restaurant's busiest days. And even more so, it's still strange to him to be home alone.

Kicking off his shoes by the door, Sanji tosses his overnight back into the small laundry room near the kitchen and moves to the bedroom. Groaning, he throws himself onto the bed face first and breathes deeply. Rolling onto his side, he tucks a pillow under his head and stares at the wall, mulling over the information Luffy gave him in the car.

They rode in silence for the first hour before Sanji got antsy and started asking questions. He turned the radio volume down and asked Luffy, "So, did you know that Zoro wasn't going to be there?"

Luffy chewed on his bottom lip for a moment before shaking his head, "No, I never asked if he was gonna be there cause I just assumed he would."

Nodding, Sanji rolled down the window and lit up a cigarette before questioning further, "So, you talk to him but –"

He was cut off with a disgruntled sigh, "Eh, Sanji, I don't talk to him all the time. He just called me a couple times to check in – make sure things are okay. I didn't tell you 'cause he made me promise not to. You're both my friends," he scratched his head before continuing,"but I dunno what to do. I usually just go beat up or take care of whatever is hurting my friends but this time they're hurting each other."

Sanji nodded quietly and kept his eyes focused on the road. Luffy isn't one for serious conversations normally but it's not out of the realm of possibility. As immature and jovial as he could be, he's very in tune with his comrades and how they're feeling. It makes him feel even shittier that his friend is caught between the two of them and their situation.

"I don't know what happened but I think it must be serious for you both to act like this. Just give it some time and he'll come back around – we're his family."

Sanji scowls as he remembers his friend's words. He knows how stubborn Zoro can be – sitting around and waiting for him really isn't an option anymore. Reaching into his pocket, he wraps his hand around his phone and his breath hitches. Pulling it out, the screen lights up as he unlocks it. He taps on his contacts list and scrolls to where he listed the number Ace gave him under 'Zoro.'

This is it, there's no turning back. Pulse quickening, he stares at the screen of his phone for a few more seconds before calling the number.

He brings the phone to his ear and holds his breath, listening to the ringing. Each ring causes his anxiety to rise and by the fourth one he feels he's going to snap when suddenly, someone answers.

"Yo, what up?"

Sanji's eyes widen at the foreign but somewhat familiar voice on the other side of the line. He clears his throat, "Uh, hi, I'm looking for Zoro Roronoa and someone gave me this number."

A pause on the other end before, "Brother Zoro? Who is this?"

Instantly the pieces connect and Sanji realizes just exactly whom he's talking to. There are only two idiots on this planet that can get away with calling the mosshead 'Brother Zoro.'

"I said I need to talk to Zoro, Johnny," Sanji snarls into the phone, not wanting to deal with formalities. Johnny is one of Zoro's high school best friends and while him and his buddy Yosaku are nice enough guys, they absolutely grate on Sanji's nerves.

"Sanji? Is that you, bro?" Johnny asks before yelling into the distance, "Hey! Dude! Sanji is on the phone."

Sanji's heart races as he hears the other man calling to someone. This has got to be it – he'll finally get to talk to Zoro. It's been two weeks already, maybe he'll agree to meet up and talk things over and –

"Yo! Sanji! The fuck you doin' calling this number?" another voice pipes up on the phone. Sanji's hopes shatter as he hears that it's not Zoro.

"I called to talk to Zoro," Sanji says through clenched teeth, "so fucking put him on the line."

"No way, bro! You ain't talking to him. You upset big bro and we don't like that, do we Johnny?"

"No we don't, Yosaku," Johnny says and Sanji's vaguely confused at how they're both talking to him.

"Am I on speaker phone?" Sanji asks, hoping they say yes so he can just start talking to Zoro outwardly and not have to deal with them.

"House phone. Got two receivers," Johnny explains.

Sanji's ears perk up at this. If Zoro's been calling Ace and Luffy from this number then that means he's been staying with these two shitty bastards. Instantly he sits up and moves to start rummaging through Zoro's side table drawers. It barely registers to him that the other two on the line are still speaking to him.

"- yeah so leave Brother Zoro alone," Johnny says solemnly.

"Yeah! Big bro came here saying that you guys got in a huge fight and that he wasn't talking to you so don't think you can just call here and demand to speak to him!" Yosaku pipes in.

Sanji rolls his eyes at their stupidity. They've always been weirdly protective of Zoro. Finding what he's looking for in the drawers, he grins to himself before replying, "All right, all right – just tell Zoro that I called looking for him and to call me back."

"Okay but hey-"

Click.

Sanji hangs up the phone, not wanting to listen to dumb and dumber any longer. Smirking, he studies the small notebook in his hands. Zoro's address book. Sanji always made fun of him for actually writing phone numbers and addresses down instead of just storing them in his phone. But after seeing how many times Zoro would lose or break phones, he began to realize it was actually out of necessity.

Flipping through the pages of Zoro's messy scrawling, Sanji spies exactly what he's looking for. Right under Johnny and Yosaku's names lists a home address. Grinning to himself, Sanji puts the address into his phone's GPS and saves it.

He glances at the alarm clock – 1:00pm. His apartment is about a five hour drive from where Johnny and Yosaku are staying so it would be well into the evening before he gets there. And that's if he leaves right this instant. Letting out an agitated growl, he hauls himself off the bed and begins pacing the room.

He needs to go find Zoro and settle things but just upping and leaving like that isn't really an option. Tomorrow morning he has to go back to work. There's no way he will drive five hours just to have to turn around and come right back. Especially if Zoro is willing to listen to him.

Unsure of what else to do, he decides that going to the Baratie and talking to Zeff will be the best course of action. Maybe the old man will be understanding and give him a leave of absence or something. He laughs at the though but knows he has to try anyway. Toeing on his shoes and loading up his pockets with his phone, wallet, and keys, Sanji quickly locks up and exits the apartment building.

Opting to walk rather than waste gas on just a couple blocks, Sanji lights up a cigarette and makes his way to the restaurant. As he strolls he can't help but think to himself how he relieved he is to know where Zoro's been. Even though his estranged boyfriend never showed up to this weekend, it's a reprieve to have a phone number and an address that leads to him.

Sanji groans inwardly as he spies the Baratie in the distance. It's going to be hell to talk the old man into giving him more time off – especially after how much he's been away lately. Having to take so many vacation days makes Sanji feel like a shitty employee and an even shittier son. The restaurant is Zeff's whole life and with him getting older, he needs Sanji now more than ever.

Arriving at the restaurant, Sanji turns down an alley that leads to the kitchen's back entrance. Entering the kitchen, he's greeted with the noise and bustle of Sunday lunch rush. He spies the office door on his left cracked open and sticks his head in to see if anyone is in there. Zeff is seated at the desk, going over some inventory papers. The older man looks up as Sanji clears his throat.

"Uh, hey, old man. I need to talk to you."

Zeff raises an eyebrow and pulls off his reading glasses, placing them on top of his papers. He motions to one of the metal folding chairs in front of him and watches silently as Sanji closes the door gently and takes a seat.

They stare at each other for a few beats before the old geezer grunts, "Didn't you beg me to be off today? Why are you here?"

Chewing on his bottom lip, Sanji fidgets in his chair. He's completely unsure of how to ask Zeff for a few more days off and really isn't ready for the impending argument over it.

"Well, I came by because I need to ask for a couple more days off…"

Silence washes over the room as Zeff continues to stare at Sanji unwaveringly. The younger blond stares right back defiantly, trying to show he's being serious and that this is important. After what seems like an eternity, the old man puts his reading glasses back on and returns to his paperwork.

"Sanji, you can have as much time off as you need."

He jumps, shocked at the quick decision. He had expected quite a bit more screaming and cursing before the shitty bastard would agree to let him take a few days off. Breathing a sigh of relief, he grins at Zeff, "Thanks, old man. I really need to get some shit taken care of and-"

"You can take as much time as you need because you're fired."

Sanji goes slack jawed and blinks a few times, trying to process what Zeff just said. Fired? Him, the best chef in this kitchen, fired?! Instantly he lights up with fury and roars, "What the fuck do you mean I'm fired?"

Zeff stays calm as ever, continuing to stare at his paperwork, "It means that you no longer have a job here, dipshit. What else could it mean?"

"But I'm the best chef here," Sanji argues back as he jumps out of his chair and begins pacing the room.

Zeff looks up at the young cook's display and lays down his papers, his brow furrowing in irritation, "Being a good chef is more than just cooking skill. You have to have discipline and responsibility."

"I have those things, you shitty bastard, and you know it!" Sanji shouts as he continues his pacing. His old man can't do this to him, the restaurant has been his entire life. He worked hard to get the position he has.

Stopping his pacing, he glares at his old man from the opposite side of the room and growls, "You can't fire me. You need me. You're getting too old to run this place. What are you gonna do when you retire? Leave Patty in charge? Carne?"

"You're about a hundred years too young to run this place, little eggplant," Zeff barks out, slamming a fist on the desk. They glare daggers at each other for a few moments before the older man continues in a calmer voice, "You need time off to go look for your green bean, right? You've used up all your personal and vacation time. Until further notice, you don't have a job here."

Hurt wells up in Sanji's chest as the only father he's known continues to scowl at him. He knows the man means business and that there's no turning back from here – he's definitely unemployed now. Feeling the gravity of the situation weighing down on him, he moves to sit back in the chair and hold his face in his hands. In just two weeks time he's lost his boyfriend and his job.

"What do I do now?" Sanji says aloud, more to himself than to Zeff.

He can hear the chair creak as the old man shifts his weight in it before responding, "Find Zoro and bring him back. You're pathetic without him. Plus, who else is going to drink my bar dry?"

Sanji laughs bitterly into his hands at the geezer's statement. He is pretty pathetic without Zoro. Since he left, Sanji's been a mess. For a brief moment he wonders how he ever managed to survive before the green-haired idiot came into his life.

Sighing, he removes his hands from his face and slumps back into his chair. Crossing his arms, he frowns as he stares at his feet, "I don't even know if he'll come back."

Zeff raises his eyebrows in surprise. It's not often that Sanji seeks him out for any kind of advice, particularly romantic advice. The younger blond feels a light blush tinge his cheeks and he keeps his gaze steady at the floor, not wanting to make eye contact. It's embarrassing to be sitting in the shitty restaurant office admitting defeat. And to Zeff of all people. Sanji's spent most of his life seeking out the geezer's approval and now he's crumbling right before the man's eyes.

"I don't know what you did, but you gotta fix it, Sanji. Zoro's a reasonable guy, I'm sure if you talk about it you'll figure it out," Zeff offers, pausing for a moment before adding, "But don't let me see you back here until you've sorted your shit out. This kitchen is for employees only."

With a small huff, the father-son moment is over and Zeff goes back to his reading. Sanji nods to himself, feeling strangely comforted despite the old man's threat. Fixing a scowl, he snarls back, "Trust me, old man. I'll be fine without this shitty restaurant."

He gets up and walks to the door to leave but as he places his hand on the knob, he hears the gruff voice behind him say, "If you need anything, let me know."

Sanji's shoulders tense at the offer and for the first time in a long while, he feels just a little less sad. Nodding his head, he mumbles without turning around, "I will."

xXx

Sanji sits in the armchair in the living room with a photo album on his lap. Propped open between his knees are pages of photos of him, Zoro, and their friends throughout the years. They have a few albums but this is one of the older books. It's from when they first started dating. He stares at a picture on the page, one of him and Zoro with Johnny and Yosaku.

The two of them had been bugging Zoro to come visit for awhile and he had finally caved, but not without dragging Sanji along with him. The whole car ride there, Sanji had complained, "I don't even know why I let you talk me into coming along. I don't even like these guys – hell, I don't even know them. And why the fuck do they call you 'Brother Zoro?'"

"Dunno, they just always have. I think it got worse when they joined that fraternity, though," Zoro replied before adding, "And they're my friends, asshole. We've been dating a couple months now so they wanna meet you."

Sanji fiddled with his lighter, grumpy about not being able to smoke. He scowled at Zoro's response and retorted, "They've met me before."

"Yeah well, now they wanna meet you as my boyfriend instead of just as Luffy's friend. We didn't know each other that well back when you guys first met."

Zoro had a point. The only time Sanji had ever met these two was when they happened to be in town for one of Luffy's parties. It was back in the beginning when he had just become friends with Luffy and their whole group. Sanji had politely said hello and went off to dote on Nami or hang out with Usopp, not really giving them any second thought.

Deciding that he wasn't done complaining, Sanji grumbled, "And I don't get why we gotta stay with them. I told you I'd pay for a hotel."

Zoro gave a dismissive wave of his hand without even taking his eyes off the road, "Nah, it's cool. They got a guest room with its own bathroom at the house. Don't be such a princess."

Sanji scowled and huffed at the 'princess' remark and turned to look back out the window. It was utterly futile to argue with someone who had moss for brains. Noticing the highway signs, a devious smirk spread across Sanji's face as he said casually, "I think we just passed our exit, mossy."

"Shit."

After turning around and heading back on the right course, it wasn't much longer before they arrived in the driveway of a somewhat run-down looking brick house. Sanji groaned at the sight and asked one last time, "Are you sure I can't just stay in a hotel?"

Zoro chuckled and rolled his eyes before getting out of the car, completely ignoring Sanji's bemoaning. The freedom to smoke a cigarette outweighed his protest and he climbed out of the car, lighting up immediately. Just as he exhaled the first puff of smoke, the front door was thrown open and shouting could be heard.

"Big bro!"

In an instant two bodies crash landed on Zoro as he was pulling a bag out of the trunk. One with dark hair and sunglasses, Johnny if Sanji remembered correctly, positioned himself on one side of Zoro as Yosaku invaded the other. Yosaku was definitely the more interesting looking of the two. He had a shaved head and was wearing a robe worn over shorts and a t-shirt. Definitely a bachelor. Zoro just grinned at the two men as they excitedly pat him on the back, talking a mile a minute.

"Did you have a good drive, big bro?"

"How was traffic? Did you get lost?"

"Shut up – I do NOT get lost."

"Sure you don't, bro."

Sanji smoked his cigarette as he watched the three stooges laugh and joke with each other in the driveway, completely oblivious to his presence. He studied Zoro's face and smiled at how much younger the other man looked when he was grinning and enjoying himself.

Zoro glanced in Sanji's direction and they locked eyes. A sheepish grin formed on his mouth as he cleared his throat, "You guys remember Sanji, right?"

The two turned away from Zoro and looked at Sanji, big grins on each of their faces. Yosaku stepped forward with a hand held out while beaming, "Brother Sanji! Zoro's told us a lot about you."

"Yeah, man. You gonna cook for us? Big bro says you make awesome food," Johnny chuckled with a slap to Zoro's back. Taking Yosaku's extended hand, Sanji gave Zoro a smirk as he shook.

"Did he now?"

Zoro rolled his eyes and scowled, "I think my words were more along the lines of 'he's an okay cook.'"

"Actually I think I remember –" Johnny went to say but was silenced with a glare. Sanji grinned to himself, knowing that Zoro must have definitely told them that he's a good cook.

"Come on inside, guys," Yosaku offered, picking up one of their overnight bags.

"Yeah, bros! It's been forever since we saw you!" Johnny agreed, grabbing the other bag. Zoro shrugged at Sanji and followed his two friends into the house. Debating smoking one more cigarette Sanji stood on the driveway a few more seconds before Zoro stuck his head out the door.

"Come on, love-cook."

Rolling his eyes at the stupid nickname, Sanji walked up the path and into the house. The interior was pretty much exactly what he expected. The living room had old, mismatched furniture, a large flat screen TV, and video game consoles strewn all over. It reminded him very much of Luffy's place, only with a fireplace.

Yosaku appeared from a hallway and jabbed a thumb over his shoulder, "I put your bags in the spare room, bro."

Nodding as a silent thank you, Zoro moved across the room and dropped onto a plaid sofa. Johnny took a seat in a recliner and Yosaku joined Zoro on the couch. Feeling a bit awkward on what to do, Sanji shot an unnoticed glare to Zoro before sitting down on an orange striped loveseat.

"You guys hungry? We bought some steaks and stuff in hopes that Sanji would make us dinner but if you're tired from the drive we can go out," Johnny suggested. Strangely enough, despite being inside he didn't remove his sunglasses.

Zoro shrugged and looked at Sanji, "It's up to the cook. I don't even bother cooking anymore - he just complains about anything I make."

"That's because my skills are far superior, mosshead. I am a chef, after all," Sanji shot back before turning to Johnny, "I don't mind cooking at all. You got a grill?"

"Hell yeah we got a grill! This is gonna be awesome. While Brother Sanji is grilling, you can spar with us, big bro!" Yosaku answered, excitement painted over his features at the chance to fight with Zoro. Sanji wasn't surprised at this. He knew that in addition to going to school with Zoro they were all in the same kendo club. Zoro had made it pretty clear that the two of them weren't as good as him, though.

Sanji got up to excuse himself to the kitchen to see what they had purchased for dinner. Johnny waved him the right direction and assured him to make himself at home. The kitchen itself was small and Sanji could tell not much cooking was done in it. Opening the refrigerator, he spotted pizza boxes and leftover Chinese containers. On a bottom shelf, however, he found fresh yellow squash and zucchini as well as the steaks that Johnny had mentioned.

Pulling out the ingredients, he quickly began locating other things he'd need in order to prep dinner. As he worked, he could hear the three other men in the living room still laughing and talking. But soon the voices hushed to a quieter decibel and Sanji could no longer hear what was being said. Having a feeling they were more than likely discussing him, he found it impossible to resist temptation and moved closer to the kitchen entryway to listen.

"So he's a good guy, bro?" a voice that had to be Yosaku spoke up.

"No, he's a total pain in the ass," Zoro's deep grumbling replied. Sanji frowned until he heard Zoro continue, "but he's really somethin' else."

"You should thank me for suggesting you guys try out that restaurant then," Johnny laughed and they continued their conversation, moving onto another topic. However Sanji didn't even hear anything else, still stunned at Zoro's words. They had only been dating a few months and while he obviously knew Zoro liked him, it felt completely different hearing the man say it to other people. Especially people he's close to. With a triumphant grin, Sanji went back to preparing dinner.

Sanji found he had a good time in the end. He had watched Zoro absolutely destroy Johnny and Yosaku as they tried to fight him with some bamboo swords they had in their garage. The duo ranted and raved over Sanji's steaks and moaned that it wasn't fair for Zoro to have his own personal chef. The mosshead just grinned at them and patted Sanji's knee under the table.

They spent the later part of the evening sitting in the living room, Sanji listening to the three of them reminiscing about old high school days. Zoro eventually started dozing on the couch and Sanji took the opportunity to slip outside and smoke. About mid-cigarette he heard the backdoor creak open and he turned his head to see both Johnny and Yosaku emerge out onto the moonlit porch.

"Is it cool if I smoke here?" Sanji inquired with an eyebrow raise. The duo had positioned themselves in front of him, arms crossed with serious expressions on their faces.

"Yeah that's fine. Listen, Sanji bro, Zoro really likes you so we like you too," replied Johnny in probably the most serious voice Sanji had heard him use.

"Yeah, but if you hurt big bro Zoro in any way..." Yosaku continued, cracking his knuckles.

"Well, we won't like it very much," Johnny finished as his ever-present sunglasses gleamed in the dark.

Sanji looked between the two of them for a few seconds before chuckling, which soon turned into full-fledged laughter. Johnny and Yosaku shared a glance between them before turning back to Sanji, puzzlement written on their shadowed faces. Calming down, Sanji shrugged and took another puff of his cigarette.

"I don't think you have to worry about that. Zoro might be an idiot but he's my idiot. I'm not gonna let him go that easily."

Sanji closes the photo album with a snap, shaking his head to clear the memories. He had been so confident back then. He never admitted it but when Johnny and Yosaku approached him that evening, he wanted to respond that if anything, Zoro would be the one to hurt him. And yet here he is sitting in his living room feeling ashamed of his own selfish stupidity.

Lighting up another cigarette, Sanji drums his fingers on the top of the photo album, nervous energy coursing through his body. If he leaves now, he won't get to Johnny and Yosaku's until late in the evening. But can he last until morning, knowing exactly where Zoro is staying?

He's on the verge of deciding to go ahead and pack an overnight bag when he feels his phone vibrate in his pocket. Yanking it out, he unlocks the screen to find a text message from Nami.

Hey Sanji, come to dinner with Robin and me. We need to talk.

Pausing for a moment, he's uncertain how to respond. As much as he wants to leave now to go talk to Zoro, he can't find it in himself to leave Nami and Robin disappointed. Deciding that his friends should come first before his own issues, he sends back a response.

Sure, sounds good.

xXx

Sitting in a booth at the sushi restaurant Nami texted him, Sanji waits for the two women to arrive. Checking his watch, he grimaces, noting that it's getting late. He definitely will have to wait to leave town tomorrow. A familiar head of red hair catches his eye and he looks up to find Nami craning her neck at the entrance of the restaurant with Robin standing behind her. He catches their attention with a wave and the two ladies make their way to his table.

Seating themselves across from them, both Nami and Robin give him knowing smiles. Nami opens her mouth to speak but is caught off guard when the waiter swoops in to take their drink orders. As soon as he leaves, she frowns at his back before turning to Sanji again, "Thanks for coming out with us. I feel like we hardly saw you this weekend."

Sanji stirs the lemon wedge in his water, feeling shitty about not spending much time with his friends. He looks up to find Robin smiling at him gently and Nami's large brown eyes staring at him expectantly. Pulling a false grin, he assures them, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to avoid you. It just was kind of a rough weekend. But we're here now and you said you wanted to talk?"

Nami begins to speak but yet again is interrupted by the waiter's return, bringing drinks and asking for their sushi order. She glares at him and rattles off an order suitable for all three of them to share, causing the waiter to apologize for the interruption with promises that their food will be out shortly. Huffing, she flips her hair over her shoulder and rolls her eyes at Sanji, "I know it was a rough weekend. That's why we wanted to talk. About the whole Zoro thing."

Shit.

He had really been hoping they didn't want to talk about that. Fiddling with his chopsticks, he stares at the table and tries to think of what to say. Where should he begin? The weekend was a tumultuous affair of highs and lows for him and he's not sure if he's really feeling up to talking about it. But there's two beautiful women giving him their best pouty faces across the table and he can't figure out a way to say no. He decides to react with nonchalance.

"Well, what did you want to know?" he asks with a weak smile.

A flicker of annoyance passes Nami's features but is quickly settled when Robin reaches a delicate hand across the table and stills Sanji's fidgeting. She offers a small smile and says smoothly, "It's quite alright if you don't want to discuss it, Sanji. But we'd like to help any way we can."

Nami nods vigorously in agreement as Robin moves to set back in her seat and continues to study him. Melting to their feminine charms, Sanji opens his mouth and can't help but let everything spill out, "I just thought Zoro would be there and when he never showed up it was kind of hard to accept. Then Ace told me he'd received a phone call from the shitty bastard saying he wasn't going to make it. And at breakfast the next day, I find out Luffy has been talking to Zoro all this time and –"

He's cut off from his explanation by an indignant squawk from Nami, "What do you mean Luffy's been talking to Zoro?"

"I guess Zoro's been calling Luffy to periodically check in. Trust me, I was angry, too. Apparently the mosshead made Luffy promise not to tell any of us."

"That's not fair. He should tell us these things! Here we are worrying about Zoro and Luffy knew he was okay all this time. Just wait till I see him again," Nami growls in annoyance, balling her hands into fists. Sanji himself has been on the receiving end of that fist a couple times. He winces at the memory, not envying Luffy at all.

"If Zoro made Luffy promise not to tell then we can hardly expect him to break his word," Robin interjects while sipping her tea.

Nami uncurls her fists and sighs in agreement, "I suppose so. Do you have any idea where Zoro might be, Sanji?"

"Yeah, actually. Ace gave me his number and it turns out he's at Johnny and Yosaku's."

"Oh, so did you get to speak with Zoro?" Robin inquires, her interest piqued. Sanji shakes his head no as he takes a drink of his water.

"I called and Johnny and Yosaku answered. But they did confirm Zoro was there. I'm actually going to go out there tomorrow and just try to corner him."

"I'm not sure if that's a good idea," Robin frowns before continuing, "Perhaps Zoro just needs some time to himself."

"He's had plenty of time," Nami answers for him, tapping her manicured fingernails on the table, "I agree with Sanji. He should just go out there and see what's up."

Robin hums but remains silent, choosing to take another sip of her tea. Nami stares at Sanji until he shrugs and nods, "I plan on leaving first thing in morning."

"Good," she replies with a smile. Before anyone can say anything else their food arrives at the table and the girls dig in, choosing to change the subject to how much fun the party was. Sanji picks at his sushi and pipes in when appropriate, unable to really concentrate on anything except his upcoming journey and where it may lead.


	7. Chapter 7

Sanji grunts and rolls onto his back, wiggling to try to find a comfortable position. He's been laying in the dark unable to fall asleep for about two hours now. After sleeping in the soft king bed at the hotel, the couch just isn't cutting it anymore. Deciding enough is enough, he drags himself off of the sofa, bringing his pillow and blanket with him and trudges to the bedroom.

Falling onto the mattress, he sighs contentedly as he wraps himself in the cool sheets and cocoons in the blankets. The tension drains from his body and he melts into the bed, feeling so much more snug than he ever did on that shitty couch. But despite the relief on his aching back and shoulders, something just doesn't feel right.

Snapping his eyes open, he comes face to face with Zoro's empty side of the bed. He stares at it, stretching his arm over and lightly caressing the spot where Zoro's torso should be. Normally Zoro would be laid out flat on his back and snoring with Sanji curled against his side. Opting for the next best solution – one he's used many times when Zoro's been out of town – Sanji grabs the other man's pillow and curls up against that instead.

He nuzzles his face into the pillow and inhales deeply before pulling away and frowning in puzzlement. Taking a few cautious sniffs, an overwhelming feeling of disappointment surges as he realizes that it doesn't smell like Zoro anymore. Anger and bitterness wells within him as he sits up violently and throws the offending object across the room. He can't help but think that it's just not fucking fair. He made one mistake, albeit a huge mistake, but now he's left here to drown in his own misery and guilt while Zoro is off hanging out with his buddies probably drinking Sanji away.

It's almost midnight but he doesn't care. Throwing off the blankets, Sanji gets up and moves to turn on the light, squinting through the sudden brightness. Pulling open dresser drawers, he digs out a couple pairs of jeans, some socks, and boxers before moving to the closet and selecting a few shirts and sweaters.

As he jerks and slams through the apartment, he can feel his fury rising. How come it's so easy for Zoro to leave and forget him? Doesn't the bastard want answers? Johnny and Yosaku are total morons – they're probably taking the shithead out every night, getting him trashed, persuading him to move on.

Sanji freezes in the middle of packing clothes into a bag and he swears his heart stops. Knowing the dumbass duo, they've probably tried to convince Zoro to retaliate by sleeping with someone else. A flame ignites deep within him and he feels the rage bubbling in his body like lava. He's gonna kill them, he truly is. Letting out a low growl, he begins shoving his clothes into his bag with a renewed passion, not giving a shit if they're folded.

He tears off his pajamas as his imagination runs wild. He pictures Zoro drunk in a bar with Johnny and Yosaku pointing out attractive men and women to him, shoving shots and beers in his face. His gaze lingering on someone as he's being informed of all the reasons why it's a good idea to let loose and just do it. His eye catching someone else's as he drinks and sending him or her that stupid smirk that's totally seductive without the dumbass even knowing it.

Sanji pauses as he pulls on his jeans, his anger being replaced with guilt. No, Zoro wouldn't do that. Zoro's loyal – he's completely dedicated to Sanji. He would never just go out and casually sleep with someone else. Biting his bottom lip, he yanks on his t-shirt and hoodie, feeling like an idiot for even imagining Zoro could cheat.

But the small voice in the back of his head reminds him that while Zoro isn't out revenge-fucking people, he's definitely not trying to patch things up with Sanji. Anger pulses through his veins as he laces up his shoes, cursing Zoro's name under his breath. It's been weeks now - the fucker should have called.

Shouldering his bag, Sanji makes his way out of the bedroom, past the living room and into the foyer. He grabs his cell phone, wallet, and keys before heading out. He knows by leaving now, he's going to arrive at Johnny and Yosaku's place too early but he's not concerned. If anything, it guarantees that they will all be home and not expecting his arrival.

However, he hesitates as he turns the key in the lock, thinking things over. He's about to drive five hours on zero sleep to confront his boyfriend for leaving him. Forehead pressed gently against the wooden door, he sighs and squeezes his eyes tight, trying to suppress the ache in his chest. He fucked up bad and he knows it… but doesn't he deserve the chance to try to make it better?

This is the only way to move forward, he's sure of it. If he doesn't go after Zoro now, then who knows when his next chance will be? They need to talk. Sanji needs to sit Zoro down and tell him how it is. Tell him how bad it hurts without him, how wrong he was, how much he needs to patch up their relationship. If Zoro still wants to avoid him and ignore him after that… well, then at least he tried.

Letting out a long exhale, Sanji pushes himself off the door and heads down the hall to the stairway. Bounding down the stairs with renewed vigor, the only thing on his mind with every step is Zoro. Scratching his head, he grimaces and realizes that the only thing he ever thinks about anymore is Zoro. The green-haired man haunts every corner of his mind.

Pushing open the door to the parking garage, he shivers as the cold night air blows against him. Bundling tighter in his jacket and adjusting the overnight bag on his shoulder, he makes his way to the car, not even bothering to light up a cigarette. His hands are freezing and he wishes more than anything he had remembered some gloves. Or that he had a warm tan hand to grasp.

Growling out in anguish, he shakes his head vehemently and quickens his pace, needing to get to the car and light up a cigarette as soon as possible. Reaching the black car, he throws his bag into the trunk without a second glance and swiftly moves to the driver's side, all but diving in. In one fell swoop he has the car on and heating up and a cigarette lit in his mouth, not even caring to roll down the window. Fuck that.

Groaning as he exhales, he rubs his temples. He's fucking crazy for doing this but at this point, his sanity doesn't matter. Nothing matters but finding Zoro, pathetic as it may seem. Zeff was right earlier when he said Sanji was just that. Pathetic. He hates it but he gave two years of his life to Zoro and honestly expected many, many more with the other man. There's no way in Hell he's going to let the idiot wash it all away over one bad decision.

Gritting his teeth around his cigarette, he buckles up and puts the car in gear, setting off on his five-hour road trip. His phone is set up on the GPS to guide him and there are absolutely no other drivers out on the roads. Checking the pocket of his jacket, he verifies he has two packs of smokes to keep him company.

xXx

Three hours into the drive, he's stopped twice for coffee. He's not necessarily sleepy but more worn out – an emotional couple of days with very little rest are catching up with him. Nicotine and caffeine are coursing through his veins and he keeps getting lost in his thoughts, driving mindlessly to his destination.

When he and Zoro first started seeing each other romantically, they went through the awkwardness of trying to figure out their schedules. Zoro's hours at the gym were mornings and early afternoons whereas Sanji worked primarily evenings and into the night at the restaurant. By the time they got to see each other, it was usually meeting up for a couple drinks or just watching movies at each other's apartments, tired from their long days. Zoro had a side gig as an instructor for a local kendo club on the two nights a week Sanji regularly had off.

Sanji would sometimes go days without seeing Zoro… just random texts updating each other or talking about nothing. It started to really grate his nerves. How were they supposed to try out this whole 'relationship' thing if they never had time for each other? And what's worse is the times they did meet up one of them was generally too tired to do much other than chill out in front of the TV.

The kissing, the fondling, getting each other off with hands and mouths – it wasn't enough for him anymore. He craved more, needed more. Need flowed through his blood and usually ended up in his groin anytime he was around Zoro. He was just so fucking attracted to the guy.

His attraction to Zoro was something that he had a hard time wrapping his head around, too. Because although the man's exotic looking with his tan skin, green hair, and ripped muscles… that's not what attracted Sanji to Zoro most. It was all in the small things. Such as the way Zoro radiated intensity and met every challenge headfirst or the way his features softened when he slept. But the most attractive thing of all was his smile. Sanji lived for any moment Zoro's dark, expressive eyes fell on him and he was gifted a smile.

And being on the receiving end of one of those smiles was the quickest way to light up his body with that need. It made him want to pounce on the green-haired man. So one morning when he received a picture message from Zoro grinning in front of the new gym sign, he devised a plan. Making a few quick phone calls, he had his shift traded and his afternoon cleared.

A couple hours later, a freshly showered Sanji stood in front of Zoro's apartment door. He kind of forgot about this part of the plan – the man wasn't home yet and he didn't have a key. After a few seconds of mental debating, he raised a slender leg and kicked in the door. The shitty lock gave with no protest. Shrugging at the damage, he pushed the door back closed and made his away across the small flat into Zoro's bedroom.

Glancing at his phone he smirked, knowing Zoro would be home in about twenty minutes. He began setting up for his plan, placing things exactly where he needed them. Finding an empty mug to use as a makeshift ashtray, he lit up a cigarette and puffed as he prepared everything. Once finished, he stripped himself completely naked and crawled into Zoro's bed, continuing to smoke. Adrenaline pumped through his system and he shook his foot to ease the nervous energy within him.

Just as he anticipated, he heard the door cautiously open with a muttered 'what the fuck?' coming from the entryway. Sanji felt excitement well up in him as he continued waiting patiently, sprawled out and smoking on Zoro's bed. His pale skin almost glowed against the dark sheets, his blond hair was styled perfectly, and he felt triumphant over knowing just how fucking good he looked.

A couple heavy footsteps later and Zoro appeared in the bedroom doorway. His look of anger and suspicion was quickly wiped away at the sight of Sanji. He stared back at the man and continued sucking on his cigarette, watching Zoro's eyes as they scaled up his body to meet his own. Zoro's stance was rigid and his face remained expressionless but his eyes were full of desire. Almost as if on autopilot, he made his way from the door to the bed and sat on the edge, keeping his eyes locked on Sanji's.

Sanji smirked around his cigarette, enjoying every moment that Zoro's attention remained on him. Zoro might have still been fully clothed, but his gaze alone was hot enough to turn Sanji on and he could feel his erection growing with every second that passed. After what felt like an eternity, Zoro reached over and ghosted his fingertips over Sanji's outer thigh, slowly running his hand up his lithe body causing goosebumps to pebble his fair skin.

His hand reached the back of Sanji's hair and Zoro gently tugged on the blond strands, causing him to tilt his head back and reveal his thin neck. With a delicacy that Sanji had never seen before, the green-haired man leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on his throat. A shiver ran down Sanji's spine and he could hear his own heart beating in his ears. Zoro's other hand reached up and plucked the cigarette from Sanji's mouth, dropping it into the mug on the side table. He pulled his head back gazed into Sanj's eyes one last time before the dam broke.

Instantly Zoro's mouth was on his, pushing past his lips to brush their tongues together. Needing to feel Zoro's skin against his own, Sanji clawed the back of Zoro's shirt, violently tugging on it. Sanji pouted as Zoro's lips moved away from his own but was quickly rewarded with the warm skin of Zoro's torso as he ripped his shirt off. Smirking at Sanji, Zoro grabbed him by the waist and tugged him to lay down on the bed, rolling them over so that Sanji lay flat on top of him, chests pressed together. Warm hands firmly grasped Sanji's hips as they continued to lose themselves in their kissing. Sanji could feel his now completely hard erection pressing against Zoro's through his jeans and he started grinding himself against the man, needing to feel the sensation even more.

Zoro groaned softly into Sanji's mouth and moved his lips down Sanji's jaw to assault his pale neck. The biting and sucking caused Sanji to moan as he felt Zoro's hands squeeze his hips tighter and pull their groins harder against each other. Sanji ran a hand through the back of Zoro's hair and clenched a fistful, murmuring obscenities with every bite and lick.

Needing to feel even more, he moaned out "Zoro… I want you."

Zoro pulled away Sanji's neck, which was now bright red due to the abuse it had suffered from Zoro's mouth, and stared up at him. Sanji sat up and moved to straddle the other man, biting his bottom lip seductively, wanting nothing more than to show Zoro just exactly how badly he needed it. He rolled his hips against Zoro's, causing himself to let out a groan at the feeling. Zoro visibly gulped and he managed to pant out, "Fuck, Sanji."

Sanji felt his world turn upset down as his back hit the soft sheets and he stared up at Zoro hovering above him. The green-haired man's mouth was instantly back on his own before he could say anything, but this time his kisses were fiercer and much more voracious. He could hear the thump of Zoro kicking off both of his shoes and then the sound of a zipper being undone. Zoro sat up and pulled off his pants, revealing his own painfully hard member. Grinning down at Sanji, Zoro gripped his own length and licked his lips hungrily, slowly stroking himself at the sight of the disheveled blond sprawled on his back.

Sanji huffed, slightly irked at the tables being turned on him but the moment Zoro began stroking himself, all irritation flew out of his mind and all he could think about was how badly he wanted the other man. Zoro nudged himself between Sanji's legs and gripped both of their erections into one hand, stroking them against each other. Sanji moaned loudly, already wanting to lose control over the feeling.

"Fucking shit, Zoro…"

Continuing with long, lazy strokes, Zoro smirked and asked, "Too much for you?"

Sanji's half lidded eyes snapped wide open and he glared up at the man but was swiftly subdued by a powerful jerk. Panting, he growled out "Bastard… just get on with it."

"Lube?" Zoro asked, letting go of their cocks and searching around the bed.

Sanji reached into the drawer of the table next to them and pulled out the brand new bottle he had bought earlier on his way over. Zoro grabbed it from him and squeezed some onto his hand, warming it between his fingertips. Leaning forward, he pressed a surprisingly tender kiss on Sanji's forehead as he moved his hand to press a finger inside of him.

Sanji gulped at both the sudden affection and invasion. He raised a suspicious eyebrow at Zoro and accused, "What was that for?"

"The kiss? Just consider it an apology for what I'm about to do to you."

He had no time to respond as Zoro hastily moved down his body and wrapped his mouth around the head of his erection, sucking on it teasingly. Coupled with finger currently stretching and working his entrance, Sanji couldn't help but moan loudly and sit up, wrapping his arms around Zoro's head.

"Fuck, Zoro!"

He could tell the smug bastard was grinning around his cock as Zoro continued to lick and suck on him, causing Sanji to double over. Eyes shut tightly, he tried to focus on controlling his breathing, not wanting to give Zoro the satisfaction of knowing just how fucking good he felt. All that went out the window the moment he felt a second finger push inside of him.

"Shit, shit, shit," he gasped through clenched teeth, unable to prevent his hips from involuntarily thrusting into Zoro's mouth. Zoro chuckled, causing vibrations to rumble against Sanji's cock causing him to sputter even more swears. Zoro moved his other hand to wrap around the Sanji's hips, keeping him steady as he continued to scissor his fingers inside and bob up and down on his length.

Zoro shrugged himself out of Sanji's hold and pulled away from his cock to steal his lips in a searing kiss. A third finger was added and Sanji groaned against his mouth. Needing to feel more than just fingers, he pushed Zoro away and huffed, "I need to feel you inside of me."

Zoro seemed to freeze at Sanji's words before nodding and slipping his fingers out. Pouring more lube into his palm, he coated his entire length and nodded towards the bed, "Lay back."

Sanji quickly obliged, laying back and spreading his legs. Zoro groaned at the sight, "Fuck, Sanji."

Moving between his thighs, Zoro lifted Sanji's legs onto his shoulders. He placed a soft kiss on the inside of one knee while aligning the tip of himself with Sanji's entrance. Smirking down at him, Zoro raised an eyebrow, "Ready?"

Sanji nodded and whimpered at the feeling of the head of Zoro's member pressing inside of him. Zoro stopped about half way and gave Sanji a worried look, probably because of how heavily he was breathing. He nodded again, wiggling his hips a little causing Zoro to growl slightly. He pulled completely out back to the tip and pushed in slowly again, testing the waters once more to make sure Sanji was okay.

"I'm not going to fucking break."

Sanji's heart jumped to his throat and he instantly regretted those words and he saw the almost evil smile that spread across Zoro's face. With a hard snap, Zoro thrust himself all the way in causing Sanji to yelp.

"You sure about that?" Zoro chuckled.

"Bring it, bastard."

With another snap of his hips, Zoro leaned forward, causing Sanji's body to curl with him and braced himself with his hands on either side of Sanji's head. A determined scowl set across his features, Zoro began thrusting hard and fast, using his body to pin Sanji against the mattress with each movement. Sanji cried out, grabbing onto Zoro's forearms for support. He lost himself in the feeling of Zoro slamming into him over and over, grunting with every thrust.

He leaned up and bit into the man's shoulder hard, causing him to let out a feral growl. Zoro retaliated by shifting his hips slightly and the next thrust hit that perfect spot, causing Sanji's cries to turn into borderline screams. His hands flew up into Zoro's hair and he yanked on it hard, using it as support as Zoro continued hitting his spot again and again.

Zoro reached a hand down and grasped Sanji's erection, pumping it in time with each thrust. The sensations became too much for Sanji and he let out a loud moan.

"Fuck… Zoro, I'm gonna come. Come with me."

Apparently that was all it took for Zoro as well, because he groaned loudly and squeezed his eyes shut, slamming into Sanji harder than ever before. Sanji cried out one last time and came, his release shooting onto Zoro's stomach. Zoro's body went rigid and pulsed with his own release. They rode out their orgasms together before Zoro collapsed on the bed next to Sanji.

"Holy... shit..." he panted, staring at him. Sanji nodded, unable to talk due to his own heavy breathing. They laid in silence for a few minutes, calming their hearts and reflecting on what just happened. Sanji reached to the side table to grab his cigarettes but his hand was instantly swatted away by Zoro.

"Who do you think you are smoking in my apartment, cook? And why the fuck was my door kicked in?"

A loud honking jerks Sanji from his thoughts and he realizes he was so distracted he was starting to drift into the other lane. The car he almost cut off flies by him, middle finger hanging out of the driver's window. He scowls and honks back, upset both at himself for getting so preoccupied but also at the driver for interrupting his memory.

Glancing at his GPS, his eyes widen as he reads that he's only two miles away from the exit he needs to take. That means in just about forty-five minutes time he will be at Johnny and Yosaku's place. Pulling the last cigarette out of his first pack, he tosses the trash onto the passenger seat and rolls the window, enjoying the night's breeze on his warm skin.

xXx

Sanji pulls into the driveway of the familiar looking house that the GPS says is his destination. He can tell from the area illuminated by the headlights it's just as run down as ever. His clock radio reads a little past five thirty. Turning the engine off, he sucks in a breath and exhales slowly.

This is it. It's really time to face Zoro.

Climbing out of the car, he closes the door as quietly as he can and steps lightly up the walkway. Arriving at the door, he chews on his bottom lip before pressing on the doorbell. A few seconds later he sees a faint light turn on through the curtains of the front window. Said curtains rustle slightly and he spies a sleepy looking Yosaku catch sight of him. They make eye contact and Yosaku's eyes go wide as he realizes just exactly who he's looking at. He rapidly moves away from the window and Sanji expects the door to be opened but it remains tightly shut.

Huffing in annoyance, Sanji raps on the door while calling out, "I just saw you, dumbass. Open the fucking door."

"Go away!" a voice calls back, "Why the hell are you here at 5:30 in the morning?"

Sanji sneers and barks out, "You know why I'm here, you shitty ingrate! Just open the fucking door!"

He can hear the lock turn and the door is pulled open just a crack. Sanji spies that there's still a chain on it. Yosaku peeks through the crack and glares at him. He can see Johnny standing in the background with his arms crossed. They're both dressed in the ugliest flannel robes Sanji has ever seen.

"Why are you here?"

Sanji rolls his eyes and crosses his arms, "I'm here to see Zoro, assholes. Either let me inside or go get him so I can talk to him."

Johnny frowns and pushes Yosaku to the side, glaring at Sanji through the small space, "Leave big bro Zoro alone. Haven't you done enough?"

Anger rising, Sanji kicks the door causing Johnny to jump and back away from it. Through clenched teeth, he grits out, "If you don't fucking open this shitty door right now I'll kick it in."

The two of them glance at each other before scrambling to unchain the door. As soon as they turn the knob to let him in Sanji flings it open, knocking Yosaku on the ground. He storms inside and walks right past them, down the hall and towards the spare bedroom he and Zoro stayed in the last time they were here.

"Zoro! I know you're in there, you shitty bastard," he yells out, as he throws the door open and turns on the light.

But the bedroom is empty and the bed is completely made. Spinning on his heel, he storms back into the living room and right up to Johnny, grabbing him by the collar of his shitty, hideous robe.

"Where is he?"

Yosaku runs to pull Sanji off of his buddy but Sanji just shoulders him off, glaring at Johnny with his most menacing scowl. The dark haired man stays calm as he says quietly, "He's not here."

Tugging on Sanji's jacket again, Yosaku adds, "Yeah dude! I tried to tell you that yesterday but you hung up on us."

Sanji drops Johnny's collar and turns his glare on Yosaku, "What do you mean he's not here?"

"He left yesterday morning, a few hours before you called."

Sanji's face goes blank and he finds himself backing up and sinking into the couch. Zoro left. He's not here. A lump forms in his throat and he does everything he possibly can to not break down and cry in the middle of the fucking living room. He's been crying way too much lately, it's absolutely pathetic. Zeff's words ring in his ear once again. Disgusted with himself, he shakes his head and stares at the ground.

He was so close, so fucking close. And Zoro's not here. Where did he go now?

He clears his throat and looks up at the two men who are staring at him in confusion. All of his earlier anger towards them is slowly dissipating as he realizes now that they're his only chance of finding out where Zoro is.

"Where did he go?" he questions quietly. Johnny looks at Yosaku and then back to Sanji, crossing his arms and moving to stand in a defensive position.

"Why should we tell you? You need to leave Brother Zoro alone."

Nodding in agreement, Yosaku mimics the other man's pose and asserts, "Yeah, Sanji. He was not happy when he was here."

Sanji moves his gaze away from them and stares at the ceiling. He wants nothing more than to lash out and force them to tell him exactly where Zoro is so he can hop in his car and go there right now. But he knows that wouldn't work and he needs to play it cool if he expects them to help him at all. He takes a deep breath and explains in a cracked voice, "I need to find him so I can make things better. I just want to talk to him. He hasn't called me since he left."

"We know," Johnny responds coldly, "He's been here for weeks but he left yesterday."

Sanji nods and pries further, "Why did he leave?"

"I'm not telling you anything else, bro," Johnny responds, scratching his head. Yosaku just glances from Johnny to Sanji, pity clearly written on his face.

"Bro… maybe we could give Sanji some info? I mean, he just wants to talk to Zoro," he says quietly, unsure of himself.

Johnny frowns and turns to him, "No – we can't do that. Brother Zoro would be so pissed."

Yosaku grabs Johnny's arm a drags him off to the side, their backs turned to Sanji. They are speaking in hushed voices and Yosaku glances at Sanji over his shoulder a couple times. Finally coming to some form of agreement, the duo approach him again, arms still crossed.

"You can stay here the night… get a few hours of sleep and we'll take about it tomorrow. It's way too fucking early to be making any decisions," Johnny tells him, scowl on his face.

Sanji considers his options. As much as he doesn't like the two, they're the ones with the answers he needs if he's ever going to catch up to Zoro. Nodding, he mutters a quiet 'thanks.'

"You can sleep in the guest room you just ripped your way into. I'm fucking tired, I'm going back to sleep," Johnny mutters, turning and disappearing back down the hall.

Sanji turns to a yawning Yosaku and says in a much more appreciative tone, "Thanks, really. I'm sorry for barging in on you guys but it's been a shitty couple weeks for me."

Yosaku gives a small grin and shrugs, "No problem, bro. We'll talk in the morning."

Sanji shuffles down the hall behind the other man and they bid their goodnights. Going back into the room he had barged into earlier, Sanji doesn't even bother turning on the light, instead choosing to sink into the mattress immediately. Face hitting the pillow, he takes a deep breath and suddenly his stomach drops.

One thing is for certain, even if he may not be here now, Zoro definitely was here before. His scent floods Sanji's nostrils as he breathes in deeply, feeling simultaneously comforted by the smell but also gravely disappointed that he's hugging a pillow instead of Zoro himself.


	8. Chapter 8

Blinking awake to bright sunrays filtering in from the window across room, Sanji groans and throws an arm over his eyes. He has no clue what time it is but judging from how sunny it seems to be, it's at least noon. Not wanting to waste anymore of his day lying on a shitty, frumpy mattress, he rolls himself out of bed and cracks his back, taking a deep breath as he stretches. A familiar, skunk-like scent fills his nostrils and he can't help but follow his nose out of the bedroom and down the hall.

Peeking around the corner to look in the living room, his eyes widen as he takes in the scene before him. Sitting on the sofa are both Johnny and Yosaku with a pile of weed and a stack of baggies spread out on the coffee table before them. Yosaku is taking a hit off of a small bong and Johnny seems to be weighing out and filling the bags with green. Sanji can't really say he's surprised – these two are the kind of idiots who probably sell to high school kids.

The sudden urge to smoke hits him. Wordlessly he enters their space and intercepts the bong from Yosaku as he's passing it to Johnny. He blinks in surprise but doesn't say a word, just watches Sanji as he sits in the recliner and digs a lighter out of his pocket. Sanji smirks at the pair and takes a huge hit, holding the smoke in as long as he can before blowing out small rings.

Passing the bong to Johnny, Sanji leans his head against the back of the chair and closes his eyes letting his high take effect. He listens to the sound of the water bubbling as the other two continue smoking and is slightly taken aback when he feels a tap on his hand. Squinting an eye open, he finds Johnny offering him the bong once again. Smiling, he takes it and soon finds himself apart of their rotation of smoking, packing another bowl, and smoking once more. He's not sure how much they've smoked but before too long Sanji finds himself so high he feels as though his body has melted into the furniture.

Yosaku breaks the silence, giggling to himself while jabbing Johnny in the ribs with an elbow. Johnny looks up from where he's counting the baggies and follows Yosaku's nod at Sanji. They both start chuckling and Sanji frowns, unsure of what their problem is. After a few more seconds of their blatant mocking, he manages to find his voice and rasps out, "What're you dickheads laughing at?"

"You just look really fuckin' high, bro."

Sanji supposes it's true – he feels really fucking high. But they're both morons and have no right to laugh at anyone else when they're sitting around the house in the early afternoon in their boxers weighing out weed. But he doesn't respond because as soon as he opens his mouth, he realizes just how dry his throat is. Standing up slowly, his legs feeling sluggish and weighted down, he manages to get himself from the living room into the kitchen to grab a glass of water. The moment the liquid passes his lips into his mouth, he's in pure bliss, his previous agitation long forgotten.

It dawns on him to check his cell phone for any messages and he pats his pockets, scowling at his inability to locate the device. But his curiosity quickly turns into desperation as he realizes through his haze there may be a small glimmer of hope that Zoro's texted or call him – especially if either of the idiots in the living room informed the mosshead that he's here. Concluding there's a good chance his phone is still in the car, he makes his way through the house and out the front door.

The sun is high in the sky and there's a chilly breeze rustling the leaves as they crunch under Sanji's sneakers. He shivers slightly, wishing he had the foresight to grab his jacket. Reaching the black car, he peers in the window and spots his phone sitting in the cup holder. He opens the door and grabs it, turning it on and checking to see if he has any messages. Disappointed to see absolutely nothing from Zoro, he frowns and pops the trunk to get his overnight bag. Hopefully the idiot duo will let him take a shower.

"Hey, bro!"

Speaking of which, Sanji closes the driver's side door and moves to the trunk as the two men, now thankfully dressed, make their way down the walkway towards him.

"We gotta run an errand and then we're gonna pick up tacos," Johnny tells him as he checks his watch, "You can shower and all that shit and we'll talk after we get back, sound good?"

Sanji nods as he retrieves his bag, closing the trunk and waving goodbye as the two of them climb into the beat up Jeep next to where he parked. He's kind of surprised at how trusting they are, leaving him alone in their house after he barged in on them last night. But it's not like he's a stranger and they are dumbasses, so he supposes it makes sense.

"Hey, dude-"

Sanji looks over his shoulder from the walkway to the house and sees Johnny has the window rolled down.

"Don't fuck with any of our shit."

And with that, a cheerful Yosaku hollers 'goodbye' and they're off, pulling out of the driveway and speeidng down the road. Sanji shakes his head as he watches the Jeep turn the corner at least ten miles an hour faster than the neighborhood's speed limit. Making his way back into the house, a slight discomfort settles over him. There's always something strange about being in someone's house when they're not home.

Walking through the living room he pauses as he spots the bong still sitting out, a sly grin forming across his face. Don't fuck with their shit, huh? Dropping his bag, he slides over and glances at the bong – still got a bowl packed. Locating his lighter once more, he picks up the apparatus and takes a hit. And then another. Feeling good, the bowl completely spent, he sets the piece down and makes a mental note to buy some green off Johnny before he goes.

Grabbing his things, he heads down to the guest bedroom and its small en suite bathroom. The room is tiny but it'll do – nothing but a small toilet, sink, and shower to fill the space. He quickly finds a stack of towels in the cabinet under the sink and pulls one out, setting it on the back of the toilet. His movements are slow and sluggish, a consequence of the pot. His highs are like that – they make him tired, calm, and serene. But in the wake of his anxiety the past few days, he doesn't mind. It's almost refreshing.

He scatters his toiletries across the counter and starts brushing his teeth, looking around the small bathroom as he does. It's absolutely barren – white walls, brown tiling. Ugly. Boring. Sanji scrunches up his nose as he notices the waste bin by the toilet is almost full. Leave it to Johnny and Yosaku to not empty out the trash.

Spitting and rinsing out his mouth, Sanji moves to turn on the shower and let the water warm up. He spends a few seconds playing with the faucet, scowling while trying to figure out which way to turn the handle for hot water. As soon as the bathroom stars misting with steam, he nods to himself triumphantly and strips out of his dirty clothes, piling them on the floor. He lets out a long sigh of contentment as soon as he steps into the shower, his aching muscles relieved under the hot water. Five hours in a car followed by a few hours sleep on a shitty bed really did a number on him.

Letting the water pour of him, Sanji closes his eyes and allows himself to be consumed by the feeling. Showering while high has got to be one of his favorite activities – it always leaves him feeling so at ease. As he basks in the steam and heat, he can't help but let his mind wander to his drive last night. And the memory he had of his and Zoro's first time together. Another part of him, a lower part, perks up at the memory too and he finds himself half-hard just at the passing thought.

Sex with Zoro was always so fulfilling for Sanji, so satisfying. It's been weeks since he'd been touched by Zoro, the last time being before the other man went out of town for that training conference. Sanji slides his hand down and grips his hardening member, stroking it lightly to his thoughts. An overwhelming need overcomes him, devours him. Feeling himself swelling and throbbing in his palm, he chews his bottom lip and gives himself to temptation.

Turning to press his head against the slick tile of the shower wall, he squeezes his eyes tightly and whimpers quietly with every caress. He can almost feel Zoro's lips on his neck, Zoro's teeth nibbling his ear, Zoro's hands roaming his body. The searing kisses, the smack of skin against skin, being filled with Zoro – he needs it all so desperately. Sanji lets out a small cry as he quickens his pace, unable to keep the images out of his mind. Zoro bending him over and pounding into him, Zoro's white-knuckle grip on his hips while he rides him, Zoro's look of deadly concentration when making Sanji orgasm. With a muttered 'shit' under his breath, he releases against the wall, panting as he comes down from his bliss.

Normally he might feel embarrassed over how quickly he came but he shrugs it off – it's been awhile. Turning the showerhead, he rinses the evidence off the wall and quickly lathers up in soap as he tries to ignore the empty feeling in his chest. Finishing up as soon as he can, he turns off the water and grabs the towel to dry off. Before too long, he's shivering in the bedroom while pulling out some clothes, scowling over how fucking frigid the house seems to be. Boxers, jeans, and a sweater later he's sitting on the edge of the bed putting on some socks when he hears the front door open.

"Yo, bro! We brought tacos!"

Right on cue, his stomach grumbles and he thinks back to the last time he ate. It was the sushi place with Nami and Robin. Checking his phone he realizes that had to be almost nineteen hours ago. Another whining groan comes from his stomach and he caves to the temptation of cheap fast food tacos. It's better than going hungry.

Making sure his things are all packed and situated, he leaves his bag on the bed of the guest room and wanders to the kitchen, finding Johnny and Yosaku seated at their shabby table with a mountain of tacos in the middle of it.

"These are the best fuckin' tacos ever, dude," Yosaku says through a bite, giving Sanji a glimpse of all the chewed up bits in his mouth. Completely grossed out, Sanji ignores him and turns to Johnny, who is eating like less of a slob but only just barely.

Sanji takes a chair and grabs one of the tacos, unwrapping it and giving it a tentative sniff. Seems safe enough so he takes a cautious bite, chewing slowly. It's a bit bland but for some reason the moment it hits his stomach he's completely ravenous and finds himself chowing down just as intensely at the other two. It's definitely a bad case of the munchies.

About three tacos in, Sanji clears his throat and asks, "So, you guys going to tell me where Zoro is now?"

Yosaku pauses mid-bite and looks at Johnny, who sets his food down and wipes his mouth. They share a glance before Johnny starts, "I don't know, bro. We don't wanna make Brother Zoro mad."

"Yeah, man, we go like way back," Yosaku adds with a mouthful of food. Sanji frowns, hoping Zoro didn't pick up that disgusting habit while he was staying here.

"Do you have a phone number I can reach him at? Anything? Look, I just need to know what the fuck is going on. Yeah, some shit happened but how can I fix it if he won't talk to me?" Sanji explains exasperatedly. He's getting pretty damn tired of going through this song and dance with everyone. All he wants is to just talk to Zoro. That's it. It's getting pretty infuriating that he can't.

"Nah, bro turned his cell phone off. He's been using our phone while he was here," Johnny shrugs, continuing his eating.

"Can you at least tell me why he left? I mean you guys are like his closest friends besides all of us at home."

Yosaku starts laughing and Sanji is relieved to see that this time his mouth is empty. Johnny gives Sanji a wide grin, "Well, he got into a few bar fights and the last one he got into we kind of ran away from the cops so he decided it was time to go."

Sanji stares at him blankly and can feel his eyebrow twitch slightly.

"Look, he went to California. One of our old friends came to pick him up," Yosaku blurts out, causing Johnny to face-palm. Sanji's eyes widen. California?

"Don't look at me like that, man. Brother Sanji is trying to fix the situation, right?" Yosaku says to a glaring Johnny. Sanji nods his head vigorously. Of course he's trying to fix things – that's all he's been saying for the past couple weeks.

Johnny sighs and rubs his temple, "One of our old high school friends - a girl with pink hair, you might know her - came and got him. That's all I'm saying. No names, no address, nothing else."

Sanji jumps up, chair clattering to the floor. His muscles are tense and he's pacing the kitchen, a flame ignited inside him. Pink haired girl in California – Zoro only knows one person who matches that description. And it just happens to be his ex-girlfriend from high school.

"Are you sure it was a woman and are you sure she had pink hair? Like her car tint didn't fuck you up or something?"

"No, she stayed the night Saturday night and then they left yesterday morning. She's an old friend of ours, she's always kept her hair pink."

Sanji's freezes and turns his head slowly to stare at them, snarling through grit teeth, "She stayed the night? Did she sleep on the couch or in the room? Where did Zoro sleep?"

"What's it matter, bro? Her and Zoro both stayed in the spare room. Fuck, dude," Johnny answers, "Zoro said you had a fuckin' temper but this is ridiculous."

Sanji isn't listening anymore, though. He pulls his leg back and delivers a powerful kick to the chair on the floor, sending it flying in to the fridge. The crack of the wood splintering fills his ears and he feels a sick satisfaction over it. So does this mean Zoro's moved on? He's just gone off to Cali with his ex and they're done? Just the thought alone fuels his fury but before he can fuck up anymore furniture, he feels two sets of arms grab him.

"Dude! Don't break our shit."

"You gotta leave, bro."

Sanji pushes Johnny's face with one hand and skews his sunglasses while kicking at Yosaku's shin. The three of them scuffle for a few moments before Sanji manages to wrench himself free and glare at them, slightly winded from their tussle. Johnny and Yosaku scowl back, seemingly ready to pounce on him at any moment. Deciding they're not worth the fight – he already got the information he wanted – Sanji adjusts his sweater and smooths the wrinkles their fighting caused.

"Well, I'll just grab my shit and leave, then," he sniffs, turning on his heel to head to the bedroom and retrieve his overnight bag. As he storms down the hall, all he can think about his how the bed he slept in last night is the same bed Zoro slept in with his ex just the night before. Shouldering the door open, he grabs his bag and proceeds back down the hall towards the front door. Johnny and Yosaku are standing so that his path is blocked towards anywhere but outside. Sanji rolls his eyes at them and swiftly exits.

As soon as he's outside he digs out his cigarettes and lights one immediately. The nicotine fills his lungs and he feels momentarily calmed. He turns back to look at the house and spies Johnny and Yosaku staring at him from the window. He should feel bad considering they were nothing but nice to him but he can't be fucked right now.

All he can feel is anger.

Zoro's a fucking coward if he's going to be this way – just run off with his ex-girlfriend without even giving Sanji a chance to talk things over. They're not even officially broken up - it was never discussed. Well, they must be broken up now if Zoro's able to do this.

Sanji kicks the tire of his car, wanting nothing more than to take a baseball bat to the damn thing. But even in his fury he knows how stupid that would be, he needs the car to get back home. Wrenching open the driver's side door, he tosses his bag into the passenger seat before climbing in. He jams the key into the ignition and starts up the engine before he even has the door closed. Cigarette dangling from his lips, he wastes no time throwing the car into reverse and peeling out the driveway, tires squealing as he roars down the road.

xXx

Sanji's drive home was completely uneventful. He stopped only once to refuel, both on gas for the car and cigarettes for his chain smoking. The whole way only one thought kept playing over and over in his mind.

Zoro is in California with Bonney.

Sanji can feel his anger flare up again as he unlocks his apartment door and walks inside. If that's what's going to make the mosshead happy, then so be it. Sanji really doesn't have time for his shit. Throwing his bag on the ground he, kicks off his shoes and moves to the living room to empty his pockets on the coffee table. Looking around the room he feels sick, suddenly aware of every photo of him and Zoro together placed in the space. He goes and finds a spare box in the laundry room and walks around the living area gathering all the pictures off the bookshelves and side tables. There's no point in them being up if they're not together anymore.

Without even looking at the pictures, he grabs each one and tucks it away. He moves into the bedroom and grabs the few photos in there, too. Content with his work, he lugs the box to the storage closet to shove out of sight. But before he reaches it he makes the mistake of looking down and glancing at the photo on top of the pile.

It's actually a group picture, Luffy, Usopp, Nami, Chopper, Zoro, and himself all strewn across Luffy's couch. He remembers that night quite clearly – Robin was the one who took the photo. While the picture itself isn't blatantly significant in any way, the events of that night actually were a huge step in their relationship.

It was just a random get together at Luffy's house, like several dozen before. Luffy loves having parties and social gatherings. Sanji wasn't sure if there were ever a moment when the guy was alone. Nothing special about the night at all, the group of them decided to get together and marathon some horror films.

At the time he and Zoro had been dating for several months. Their relationship was getting pretty serious and Sanji had been stressing himself about his feelings. He could tell he had fallen for the other man pretty hard.

He was in love.

As a romantic, just the general idea of love itself sent Sanji aflutter. But love for him usually was bowing down and worshipping whatever woman he was dating at the time. But this emotion was different and it kind of scared him. It wasn't the normal swooning and falling over himself to please his partner. It wasn't heart fluttering and feeling like he was floating. It was warmth deep inside and it was comfortable. Being around Zoro just felt right, like there was no better place for him to be.

While he's usually one to sing praises about his significant others, to shout his love for them from the rooftops, this time he felt unsure of how to proceed. This kind of love was new and if he was honest with himself, it made him feel foolish for ever thinking what he felt before was love at all. While in the past he would have taken his partner out to a fancy restaurant with wine, roses, candlelight, the whole nine yards... the thought of doing that with Zoro made him cringe. It felt cheesy. And cheap. And he certainly didn't want to cheapen his feelings with some elaborate scene taken from a romance novel. This kind of love was quiet and intense - kind of like Zoro. Sanji tortured himself for weeks trying to figure out the perfect moment to confess his feelings. He wanted the timing to be just right so that he would be taken seriously. This was important.

And so on the random 'Mystery Movie Monday,' as dubbed by Luffy, Sanji found himself in the kitchen looking for something to drink and wondering exactly what he was going to do about his whole love situation. He could hear Zoro and Luffy chatting at the dining room table, finishing their card game while waiting for Nami and Robin to show up. Usopp and Chopper had run out to get some pizzas so Luffy took advantage of the quiet to corner Zoro.

"Hey Zoro, can I ask you a question?"

Sanji's ears perked up at Luffy's request. Luffy's random questions could be the strangest of things, ranging from asking about bowel movements to discussing the meaning of life. Sanji crept over to the entrance of the kitchen to watch things unfold.

"Sure," Zoro grunted, staring at the cards in his hand.

"You smile a lot more lately. I think you're happier."

"That's not a question, Luffy," Zoro sighed. Sanji furrowed his eyebrows, unsure of where this was going, but he remained silent from his position in the entryway.

"It's because you love Sanji, isn't it?"

Sanji's eyes widened and he watched Zoro look up from his cards to study Luffy for a moment. Luffy gave him a goofy grin and Zoro responded with a smirk before shrugging, "I suppose it is."

Sanji let out a small, unintentional gasp. Zoro loved him? He felt his face flush red and his stomach flip. Zoro just told Luffy he loved him. But the goofy, flustered feeling was quickly accompanied with irritation. Before he was even aware of what he was doing, he stomped into the dining room and delivered a kick to Zoro's side.

"What the hell was that for?" Zoro scowled, rubbing his ribs.

"You stupid bastard, you can't just say things like that. You 'suppose' you love me? Try to be a little more romantic," Sanji growled, lifting his leg to kick Zoro again. With swift reflexes, Zoro grabbed his ankle and held his leg in place in a strong grip. The two of them glared daggers at each other, Sanji annoyed with the fact that he'd been torn up over this for weeks and here Zoro was easily admitting his feelings to Luffy. And Zoro most likely annoyed with Sanji kicking him.

"You two are so funny," Luffy laughed from the other side of the table. The two of them turned their glares on him briefly before Zoro let go of Sanji's leg. An unsaid 'we'll talk about it later' passed between them and Sanji returned to the kitchen, absolutely needing that drink now.

Usopp and Chopper returned with the pizza soon, followed closely by the arrival of the girls. They ended up watching some gory thriller movie that lead to Usopp burrowing in a blanket next to Sanji jumping every five minutes and Chopper next to Zoro doing the same. Like usual, Luffy laughed at all the bloody scenes and Robin was absolutely fascinated with the killer of the film, wondering aloud if he was based on a real person.

Once the movie was over and the lights were on, Sanji and Zoro began getting ready to leave when Robin asked them, "Oh, would you wait a second? I'd like to take a group picture of everyone for my desk at work."

And that's how they all ended up piled on Luffy's couch, Luffy himself laying across everyone's laps and beaming a huge smile up at Robin's camera.

"It's very nice," Robin said while smiling at the image on the digital screen, "I'll send all of you a copy."

They bid their farewells, Sanji making sure to hug both the ladies and offer them for the third or fourth time a ride home, much to Zoro's annoyance. With their assurance that they were just fine, Sanji followed Zoro out of the apartment building and into the fresh night air.

But as they wandered down the block to where Zoro parked his car on the road, Sanji couldn't keep his thoughts from creeping back to Zoro's earlier conversation with Luffy. It was an admission of his love, plain and simple. He was asked and he answered - so uncomplicated. Sanji instantly felt stupid for over thinking this when he could've just told Zoro how he felt weeks ago.

Sanji grabbed Zoro's hand and tugged on his arm, causing the other man to stop and twist to look at him. They stared at each other for a few moments, their faces illuminated by a nearby streetlight. Zoro raised an eyebrow in confusion but stayed silent. Sanji studied Zoro's face and it clicked for him, the moment felt just right. He took a deep breath before speaking calmly and evenly, "I love you, too."

The corners of Zoro's mouth turned up in a small smile and he used Sanji's grip on his hand to pull the thinner man into a hug. Placing a small kiss on the top of Sanji's head, Zoro gave him one last squeeze before letting go.

"C'mon, let's get you home."

Sanji closes the lid to the box abruptly and frowns at it, uncertain of how to feel. He's disappointed that he's lost something that was so precious to him. Even though he's the one who made the mistake of sleeping with someone else and causing all this strain and hardship on their relationship, he never stopped loving Zoro.

But he's also so incredibly angry. Zoro just left without a word and hasn't even tried to contact him since. And even worse, he's now run off to be with his ex-girlfriend. Sanji pushes away any feelings of sadness and allows his fury to take precedence, pointedly ignoring any guilt he feels about being the one who drove Zoro away in the first place. He stuffs the box of pictures into the closet and slams the door closed, locking the memories away. There's no point in thinking about Zoro if Zoro's not even thinking about him.

He moves to the kitchen and pours himself a glass of wine before retiring to the living room and sprawling out on his sofa. He glances at the coffee table and spots his phone laying exactly where he left it earlier. Reaching over to grab it, he turns it on and checks his messages from the weekend. Surprisingly, he has a missed call from Franky, which is unusual considering the man almost always contacts him through Robin. He taps Franky's name in his contacts list and takes a sip of his wine as he listens to the ringing.

"Yo, Sanji!"

"Hey Franky, saw I missed a call from you, what's up?"

"I know you got a lot going on right now bro, but I need to know if you're still gonna help Robin with the food for our awesome Halloween party tomorrow."

Sanji sits up and sloshes some wine on himself in the process. He completely forgot about his offer to help Robin with their party. He mutters a curse at the red wine stain on his sweater and runs to the kitchen to clean the spill before his clothes are ruined. It just had to be a white sweater.

"Uh, bro? You don't have to if you don't want to, we know you got a lot on your plate…"

"No, no, it's fine. I'd love to help Robin. I just spilled something," Sanji hastily corrects, cradling his phone between his ear and shoulder while dabbing white wine on the stain.

"Sounds super! She'll come by tomorrow morning and you two can go shopping and get whatever you need, is that okay?"

"Yeah, that's fine. Later," Sanji hangs up the call and slams his phone on the counter. He lets out a low growl of frustration and tears off his sweater, tossing it on the counter. All this craziness with Zoro has been distracting him so much. He almost forgot about Ace's wedding celebration, he lost his job, and now he let Robin's Halloween party completely slip his mind. He's been so focused on himself that he's become such a shitty friend.

Resolving right then and there to let Zoro trouble him no more, he picks up his sweater and lays it out on the counter to let the stain dry out of it. Tomorrow he's going to go shopping with Robin and cook the best food possible for her. He's going to attend her party and not let Zoro enter his mind even once. Grabbing the wine bottle off the counter, he nods to himself, satisfied with his decision and returns to the living room. He settles on the couch and turns on the television, determined to distract himself from any thoughts of lost mossheads and the overwhelming urge to drive to California.


	9. Chapter 9

Sanji stirs in his slumber, one lanky arm hanging off the edge of the couch causing his knuckles to brush against the empty wine bottle lying on the floor. It feels early but he's not sure when he fell asleep so it could really be any time. Groaning quietly, he rolls onto his side and snuggles his face deeper into the cushion. He hadn't intended on falling asleep out here but after his third glass of wine things got a bit hazy. Allowing himself to wake up slowly, he feels the hairs on the back of his neck prick up as the sleep fog clears and he realizes he's not alone. Jolting awake, he sits up and looks around the room only to lock eyes with Robin.

"Good morning," she smirks over her coffee mug, poised delicately in the armchair with a book in her lap.

"Good morning," Sanji replies sheepishly, rubbing sleep from his eyes. He squints at the wall clock, raising his eyebrows at the time. Must've slept through the alarm.

"I let myself in with the spare key and made a cup of coffee. I hope you don't mind,"

Sanji shakes his head, embarrassed that Robin had to go through the trouble of letting herself inside and waiting for him. Too much wine and late night television did him in. He twists so he's sitting on the edge of the couch and runs a hand through his hair. It's greasy and dirty – he definitely needs a shower. Which means Robin has to wait on him even longer.

Almost as if she hears his thoughts, Robin speaks gently without taking her eyes off of the book she's resumed reading, "I'm at an interesting part of my novel. Please take as much time as you need to get ready."

Relieved, Sanji thanks her before pushing himself off the couch and heading down the hall to the bathroom. He closes the door and flips the lights on, blinking at the brightness of the fluorescent bulbs before turning on the water to brush his teeth. Last night's events trickle into his memory as he brushes and he remembers his vow to move on today and forget about Zoro. It should be easy - he has a full day planned with shopping and cooking with Robin followed by the party. Spitting in the sink, he rinses the toothpaste down the drain and allows all thoughts of Zoro to wash away with it.

Twisting the shower nozzle to the perfect temperature, Sanji undresses as the water heats up before climbing in. He goes through the lather, rinse, and repeat process on autopilot, running through his mental rolodex of recipes for ideas on what they should buy at the store. Deciding it would be best to get a guest count before making any solid commitments, he finishes his shower thoughtlessly and climbs out to dry off. Wrapping the towel around his waist, he emerges from the steam filled bathroom and pads the few steps down the hall to his bedroom door, but first peeks into the living room to check on Robin. True to her word, she's still curled up in the armchair focused on her book.

In the bedroom, Sanji pulls open various dresser drawers to retrieve boxers, jeans, and socks before absent-mindedly pulling an orange button up shirt from the closet. Dressing quickly, not wanting to keep Robin waiting much longer, he pauses briefly to search his closet and pull out his black vest as well. Glancing at his reflection in the mirror, he nods in approval at his appearance before making his way back to the living room.

Locating his cigarettes on the coffee table, Sanji tips one out before pocketing the pack. Lighting it and reveling in the first smoke of the day, he waits patiently for Robin to bookmark her page and look up at him before he asks, "How many people are you expecting at this party?"

Humming thoughtfully as she stands and moves to place her book in her bag, Robin shrugs and turns to Sanji with a hint of a smile playing on her lips, "Franky invited the whole shipyard and I told Luffy he could invite anyone he'd like so I'm sure there will be quite a few."

Sanji runs a hand through his still damp hair and nods, mentally calculating how much food they will need to buy. There's going to be quite a few people and both the shipyard guys and Luffy have pretty big appetites. Spotting the empty wine bottle lying on the floor, he picks it up and takes it into the kitchen to toss away. Taking one last drag from his cigarette, he runs the butt under some water before also tossing it in the trashcan.

"Ready to go?" Robin asks, pulling her sunglasses and keys out of her bag.

"Oh, I can drive. You don't need to-"

"It's no trouble at all. Zoro won't be happy to see you've put so many miles on his car, right?"

"I suppose…" Sanji trails off as he locates his wallet and phone. They haven't even gotten out of the house and Robin's already brought up Zoro. Sanji loves the woman, he really does, but he's not sure if he wants to spend the day discussing Zoro. But judging by the innocent smile on her lips as she watches him toe on his shoes, there's no avoiding the conversation that's sure to come. With one last pat to his pockets, he opens the door and gives Robin room to walk by before exiting himself and locking up.

"The farmer's market near my house should be a good place to go," Robin muses thoughtfully as she leads him down the hallway. Sanji catches up with her at the elevator and nods in response.

"Absolutely, they always have the best prices for what's in season. Do you want to serve a full meal or just finger foods?" he asks, contemplating their shopping list. It's been awhile since he's really concentrated on food and it feels nice to be back in his element. The elevator dings as it arrives at their floor and Sanji waits for Robin to step on before following her.

"Is it possible to make a large vat of soup for people to serve themselves from, in addition to various hors d'oeuvres?"

Sanji thinks for a moment before smiling and clasping his hands together, "Yes I can make a butternut squash soup and we can get fresh bread to go with it."

"Sounds wonderful."

They continue their descent in comfortable silence. Sanji's always loved that about Robin – her tranquility. Unlike some of their other friends, she's not one for mindless chattering. Her words are well chosen and always serve a purpose. Very similar to Zoro.

Sanji huffs to himself and gives a slight shake of his head. No matter how hard he tries, he can't keep the other man out of his mind. Robin gives him a peculiar look before the doors open and they make their way across the lobby and out of the apartment building. There's a crisp, cool fall breeze and Sanji straightens his vest, feeling smug about the last minute addition to his outfit.

Robin's car is parked right out front, its unique purple shade setting it apart from the sea of silver and black. Franky had it custom painted for her when she bought it last year. The lights flash as she unlocks the doors with her clicker and Sanji wastes no time clambering into the front seat.

"What the fuck," he mutters as his knees almost hit his chest due to the seat being positioned all the way forward, almost to the dash.

Robin giggles from the driver's seat as she buckles her seatbelt, "Sorry, I believe Chopper was the last one who sat there. There's a switch on the side."

Sanji scrambles to find the switch and sighs in relief as the chair moves back, giving him room to stretch his legs and breathe. Robin covers her mouth with a dainty hand to chuckle a bit more before starting the car.

Robin's home and the farmer's market they intend to go to is on the edge of the city. Her and Franky live together in a house that's close to the river, where his shipyard is located. It's a bit of a drive from Sanji's apartment and as he stares out the window, he wishes she'd have let him drive so he could smoke.

Yet again, right on cue Robin says to him as she merges into traffic, "You know I don't mind if you smoke in here."

"Your car still has that new car smell. Don't worry about me; I'll be fine, " Sanji replies with a wave of his hand. As much as he wants a cigarette, he doesn't want to make Robin's car smell like an ashtray. Once more a calm settles over them, Sanji gazing out the window at the passing cars and street signs as they make their way through town. Their complacency in silence reminds him of two winters ago when they all booked a cabin together for a week in the mountains. He and Robin would wake up early and sit in the kitchen drinking cups of coffee while the rest of the crew would sleep in. He felt they truly bonded in each other's wordless company.

"Remember that winter we stayed in the cabin?" he asks without taking his eyes off the window. When she doesn't respond immediately, he shifts his gaze to her face and catches glimpse of a small grin.

"I do. It was a very enjoyable Christmas. Feeling nostalgic?"

"I guess," he shrugs as he fiddles with the cuff of his sleeve, "I was just thinking about how nice it was in the mornings before everyone woke up."

Robin nods and peeks at him over her sunglasses, "Yes, we did spend quite a bit of time together during that trip… though, I do believe if you and Zoro hadn't been fighting I wouldn't have seen so much of you."

Sanji pauses his fiddling and frowns at his hands. He had almost forgotten about the big fight they'd had during that week. It actually began the day before they left for their trip and escalated during the week away. Sanji crosses his arms and leans back in his seat, closing his eyes to try to remember the events of the week.

The cabin trip was booked for the week of Christmas. Luffy came up with the idea and the whole group pooled their money to spend a week in the mountains for the holidays. At the time, he and Zoro were nearing their one-year anniversary. While the past year together should have been fulfilling, Sanji found himself feeling a little hollow. Sometimes late at night, he'd find himself awake, mulling over not only his feelings for Zoro, but Zoro's feelings for him. At first he felt petty for even fretting over the idea but as time progressed, Sanji became increasingly aware that every time he expressed his love for the other man, he'd receive a noncommittal grunt in return. He knew that Zoro was not a romantic or emotional man, but no matter what angle he looked at things, it just felt like maybe Zoro didn't feel exactly the same way for him. In the middle of their bedroom as they packed for their trip, he found himself incapable of holding it in any longer.

"Why don't you ever tell me you love me?"

Sanji stopped folding the sweater he had in his hands and watched Zoro for a reaction. The other man was crouched down digging in the bottom drawer of their dresser. He turned his head and looked at Sanji with a befuddled expression before rolling his eyes, "What the hell kind of question is that?"

"I know you're an idiot but I think it's a pretty straight-forward question, Mossy. If I say 'I love you,' you just say 'me too.' You don't say it back or say it first."

Zoro glared at him before standing up and running a hand through his hair, "You don't think I love you?"

Hard to tell when the bastard wouldn't ever say it to him, just grunt or nod in agreement at Sanji's sentiments. They'd been together for almost a year so that should count for something but as time progressed, he couldn't keep himself from stewing. Ever since that night in August where Zoro admitted to Luffy that he was in love, he never initiated that conversation again. Sanji's increasing annoyance was interrupted by the sound of Zoro rustling through the closet.

Scowling, Sanji dropped the sweater in his hand and moved to the other side of the bed to grab Zoro's shoulder. Zoro twisted around and looked at him with an annoyed sneer, "What? I'm trying to pack."

"I'm fucking talking here."

Zoro shrugged Sanji's hand off and crossed his arms over his broad chest. His stance felt domineering and condescending, which flared Sanji's temper. With another roll of his eyes Zoro sighed, "You started saying stupid shit and then zoned out. I'm trying to get this shit done so I can work out."

Sanji felt his blood boil at Zoro's obvious apathy. He's trying to have a serious fucking conversation and the asshole could only think about going to lift his stupid weights. Sanji whipped around and headed straight for the door, not wanting to spend another minute in Zoro's presence. He needed a fucking smoke.

Sanji grabbed his cigarettes off the kitchen counter and flung open the sliding glass door to their small balcony. Door slammed, cigarette already dangling from his lips, he lit up and paced the small space as he smoked. Zoro's an asshole on a good day but it really grated Sanji's nerves that the man couldn't just fucking talk to him. Particularly, this conversation was important and had been weighing on his mind for some time.

Cigarette spent way too quickly, he tossed his butt into his ashtray and shook the tension out of his limbs before opening the door and going back into the apartment. Hands in his pockets, he walked to the bedroom with feigned indifference and peeked around the corner to spy on Zoro. However, the room was empty. Eyebrow raised, Sanji walked a few feet down the hallway to the closed door of the weight room and heard the telltale sound of weights clanking and Zoro grunting. Deciding to just finish the packing in hopes that Zoro would be more willing to talk after his work out, Sanji ambled back to the bedroom. When he approached the bed, though, he found all the clothes he had laid out gone and in their place his suitcase neatly packed and ready to go.

"Sanji? We're here."

Sanji jerks from his thoughts and blinks his eyes open as he turns to Robin. She's studying him with a knowing smile and reaches to unbuckle her seatbelt.

"Sorry, must've dozed a bit," he apologizes as he undoes his own buckle. Robin just nods and pulls her bag from the backseat. Once out of the car, Sanji wastes no time lighting up a smoke as he stretches his legs and takes a look around him. It's an outdoor market, the beautiful fall weather drawing a crowd. He watches as groups of people make their way from the parking lot to the different fruit and vegetable stands. Even from a distance, Sanji can see the quality and freshness of the produce. He smirks around his cigarette, excited to pick out excellent ingredients.

Robin joins him at his side and he offers her his arm, "Shall we?"

"Always such a gentleman," she responds bemused, taking his arm. They make their way to the market with one quick pit stop at a trashcan for Sanji to throw away his cigarette butt. The crowd thickens and Sanji is relieved that Robin keeps a hold on his arm, not wanting to risk getting separated. Not to mention the pride he takes in having such a stunning, wonderful woman clutching to him. No matter his history with Zoro, beautiful women will always be his first love.

Sanji realizes that the soft hands that were gripping his forearm are no longer there and he stops walking, looking in all directions for where Robin may have went. He spots her at a vegetable stand a few feet away and makes his way over to her, wondering when she managed to slip away.

"Didn't you say something about butternut squash?" Robin asks as Sanji approaches. He peers around her and grins at the delicious looking array of seasonal vegetables on the stand before her.

"You're so perceptive, Robin!" Sanji praises as he reaches for a random gourd and studies it, looking at the quality and ripeness of the produce. Happy with his findings, Sanji picks out a few more to purchase for the soup. Once the man running the stand tells them their total, Sanji insists he should pay since he's the one who gets to use the ingredients. He only relents when Robin casually reminds him that he's currently living off of one income, not two. Nodding sullenly, not wanting to admit to her that he's actually living off zero income, he grabs the bags and waits for her to pay.

They continue perusing the rows of vendors, stopping at stands to purchase an assortment of ingredients for Sanji's growing list of creations for the party. While discussing a more detailed count of who they think will show up, Robin nonchalantly ruminates, "Given I didn't see Zoro at your place, I assume things didn't go so well yesterday."

Sanji can't keep his shoulders from tensing at her observation. He knows its stupid but he was half-hoping she wouldn't mention it. He scratches his head, avoiding her gaze and shrugs, "Yeah, he wasn't at Johnny and Yosaku's place anymore."

"Oh? That's surprising. Any ideas on where he may have went now?"

Shifting the shopping bags around, Sanji hesitates in responding. He doesn't like feeling as though he's hiding anything from his friends, especially Robin who's so smart it's impossible to hide anything from her, but he'd rather not divulge the fact that his boyfriend's run off with an ex-girlfriend. Chewing on his bottom lip, the need for a cigarette hitting him full force, he chooses his words carefully, "They said he went to California to stay with a friend."

Much to Sanji's relief, she doesn't pry any further. She just nods and hums, "Our Zoro has a different way of handling things at times. Just give him space."

Sanji grimaces as he wanders behind her to a nearby flower stand. Luffy and Robin both keep telling him to give Zoro space and yet he feels as though doing just that caused this sudden turns of events. It's always dangerous giving Zoro too much space – the idiot is bound to get lost. And that's just what's happened, Sanji's lost him. He stops in his tracks, causing a middle-aged man to curse at him. Sanji pays no attention, however, as he's hit with a bout of determination.

Fuck this. He's not going to feel guilty. Drowning himself in a sea of "what ifs" and obsessing over that asshole is exactly what he promised himself he wasn't going to do today. Casting aside his remorse, Sanji quickly replaces it with annoyance. If Zoro would rather run away with his ex-girlfriend than work things out here with Sanji, then that's his prerogative. There's a party to prepare for and friends to enjoy, he is not about to let any guilt over Zoro get in the way of that.

Catching up with Robin, he manages to convince her to let him buy her a bouquet of flowers for her table centerpiece. Conceding, she picks one out and thanks him with smile, causing Sanji's heart to flutter. Determining that they've got all they need from the market, the pair makes their way back to the car to head to Robin's place, Sanji already excited to do what he loves best, cook for his friends.

xXx

"Are you sure you don't mind? I can call a cab or something," Sanji asks Robin for the third time. He's spent most of the early afternoon making the soup and prepping all of the appetizers for her party and now finds himself drained. He wants nothing more to lie down and nap, which is peculiar for him. However, the last few days have left him pretty mentally exhausted and if he's being honest, he didn't get much sleep after passing out drunk on the couch last night.

"There's no need for a cab if you're just going to come back here in a few hours for the party," Robin assures him, "Make yourself at home. I'm going to finish some paperwork in my study before it's time to get ready. Franky should be here soon."

He watches her gracefully make her way up the stairs and out of sight. He wipes his hands on the towel he'd earlier had slung over his shoulder and double checks the soup to make sure it's cooking evenly and set at the perfect temperature. Content that everything matches his satisfaction he leaves the kitchen and makes his way to the living room.

Robin's home is beautiful and expansive, with an abundance of windows that let in natural lighting. Sanji's been here plenty of times before but every time he visits he finds himself taken aback by the simplicity and beauty of the house. Modern furniture well placed to allow for both an open but welcoming space decorate the living room. There's ample seating for guests while still giving the space a lived-in feel; her house is the perfect place to host social events.

Giving in to his weariness, Sanji drops onto the sofa and lets out a content sigh over the softness of the plush cushions. He pulls his cell phone out of his pocket and sits up slightly to set it on the side table when a photograph catches his attention. Picking up the frame to study the photo closer, Sanji smiles to himself over just how happy Robin looks with Franky's large arm draped over her shoulders. Placing the picture back in its home, he lies back down and closes his eyes for some well-needed rest.

Instead of drifting off to sleep, Sanji finds his thoughts revisiting his earlier recollection of the Christmas trip to the mountains. He and Zoro had continued to argue into the evening the night before leaving, Sanji catching him as he emerged from the weight room to grab some water from the kitchen.

"I still wanna finish our conversation from earlier," Sanji asserted with a scowl from his position at the stove checking on his roast. Zoro ignored him in favor of turning on the sink faucet and leaning down to take a drink from the spout.

"Hey fuckhead, use a goddamn cup," Sanji growled while grabbing a glass from the cupboard and hitting Zoro on the back of the head with it, "And are you fucking deaf? I wanna finish our conversation."

Rubbing the spot where Sanji hit him, Zoro snatched the glass with a defiant glare and filled it up, "So finish it."

Sanji felt his temper rise but quickly dispelled it, reminding himself that if he planned on getting an answer out of Zoro, he needed to stay calm. Leaning against the counter, he placed his hands in his pockets and coolly stated, "You never answered my question earlier."

With a quirk of his eyebrow, Zoro finished his water and set the empty glass on the countertop. Crossing his arms, he leaned against the refrigerator and studied Sanji for a moment before replying, "Didn't answer mine."

"What the fuck are you talking about, dumbass?"

Zoro pushed himself off of the fridge with a grunt and made his way out of the kitchen into the living room, Sanji following quickly at his heels.

"Where are you going?!"

"To shower. You don't even remember the conversation you want to finish," Zoro grumbled, walking down the hall and shedding his shirt in the process. Sanji was seething at being dismissed for the second time that day especially over something that had really been weighing on his mind.

"I'm not done with you, asshole!"

The reply Sanji received was the click of the latch from Zoro closing the bathroom door, which was soon followed by the sound of the shower running. Rage pooling in his gut, Sanji huffed and snatched his cigarettes off the counter. Flinging the balcony door open, he had his cigarette lit before slamming it back shut. Sanji threw himself into one of the patio chairs, enraged to once again find himself in this exact same situation: smoking cigarettes, livid over Zoro's clear dismissal.

His foot shook in agitation as he smoked two cigarettes in rapid succession while getting angrier and angrier with Zoro every second. The fucker was so indifferent, so uncaring that it grated Sanji's entire resolve. If anything, he found himself most upset at the notion that maybe Zoro's behavior really meant he didn't love him.

After three cigarettes, Sanji sighed and decided to try one more time to get through the stubborn jackass. He didn't want to leave tomorrow morning for their big group trip with this hanging between them. Sliding the door open, much more peacefully than the earlier slamming, he slipped back into the apartment and spotted Zoro in the kitchen. Sweatpants hanging loose on his hips, shirtless with his green hair dripping down his back, Sanji felt his anger slipping slightly as he watched the mosshead peek at the roast.

"Hungry?" he asked as he made his way into the kitchen. Zoro just nodded his head and moved out of his way so he could check dinner once more. Sanji closed the oven door and rubbed the back of his neck, "It'll be a little bit, want a snack?"

Zoro shook his head, "Beer's fine." He grabbed a can from the fridge and plopped himself onto one of the barstools.

Sanji took a deep breath and tried one last time, "About earlier, I just want to know why you don't say it first."

Zoro popped the top of his beer and took a drink, keeping his eyes glued on Sanji over the can. Setting the beer back down with an exaggerated sigh that made Sanji roll his eyes, Zoro shrugged, "I say it all the time."

Exasperated, Sanji found himself bent over, elbows on the counter rubbing his face in his hands. With a bitter chuckle, he snarled, "No you fucking don't, bastard. That's what I've been saying if you weren't too dumb to understand. You just say it back or say 'me too.' You never initiate it."

"Don't see a difference," Zoro growled back, causing Sanji to look up and catch his eye. His face was devoid of all emotion and Sanji felt the earlier fire rising within him, unable to keep control this time.

"What the fuck do you mean you don't see a difference? I know you can be a real moron but fuck, Zoro. If you never say it first, how do you think that makes me feel?"

"Dunno," Zoro shrugged before taking another swig of his beer, "Do you think I don't love you?"

"Sometimes!" Sanji blurted out. The word echoed in the small kitchen and he held eye contact with Zoro, watching for a reaction. The other man just stared at him for a second, his dark eyes searching Sanji's face. With one last pull, he finished his drink and set the can back down with hollow clank.

"That's stupid."

Sanji felt his stomach drop. Instantly, his anger switched off into numbness and he pulled himself off the counter, unable to even look at Zoro. Clearly he didn't understand. He could feel Zoro's dark eyes still watching his movements as he pulled dinner plates out of the cupboard.

"Are we done?"

Sanji paused as he opened the silverware drawer and sighed, "I suppose, Mossy. I don't know why I even fucking bother with-"

Two muscular arms wrapping around his waist and a sharp chin resting on his shoulder made him lose his train of thought. Warm breath, slightly sour with the smell of beer sighed against his neck and in spite of his current disdain for Zoro, he felt goosebumps rise on his skin.

"Dinner's gonna be ready soon," he mumbled, frozen in place by the large hand tracing its way down his body to cup his hardening bulge.

"Just turn the temperature down or whatever."

Nodding, Sanji swallowed thickly due to Zoro's cupping turning into full on caressing. Silently he reached over and turned the oven temperature down, allowing them some spare time before dinner would be ready. Zoro pulled away and grabbed Sanji's hand, tugging him in the direction of the bedroom.

"Yo! Aren't you supposed to pass out after a party, not before?"

Sanji jerks out of his thoughts, sitting up promptly and rubbing his eyes. Franky flicks his sunglasses off of his head and smiles down at him, "Thanks for helping Robin today, bro."

"Oh, uh, no problem," Sanji rasps, feeling slightly disoriented. The scenes from his memory continue to play in the back of his mind and he suddenly feels like he's going to be sick. Franky wanders up the stairs, Sanji assumes to look for Robin, so he takes the opportunity to rush to the bathroom. Chest heaving, he leans back against the bathroom door and closes his eyes, willing away the images of Zoro touching and kissing him all over.

He feels like such an idiot.

After that night, during the rest of the week, he had felt disconcerted about the conversation. They never truly settled it – every time Sanji brought it up again, they would bicker for a bit before it ended the same way as that night, the two of them sweaty in bed. At the time it annoyed him and made him feel like Zoro was just trying to shut him up, but in hindsight he realizes just exactly what a goddamn moron he was. The sex, the physical contact – that was Zoro's way of showing his love.

Sanji turns the faucet on and cups a handful of water, swishing it around before spitting into the sink. He splashes water on his face and reaches for a hand towel to dab his skin dry. The smell of lavender fills his nostrils and he smiles slightly, knowing its Robin's favorite scent. Sighing, he hangs the towel back up where he found it and cracks his neck. He may be a jackass but there's no use dwelling on it now. He has to finish preparing food for the party and there's no way he's going to damper the night for his friends. It's already going to be weird enough as is without Zoro. Halloween is Luffy's favorite holiday and Zoro hasn't missed a Halloween party since Sanji's known him. He's sure he won't be the only one missing Zoro's presence.

Flipping the lights off, Sanji exits the bathroom and makes his way back to the kitchen, glad that he has a party with his friends and copious amounts of alcohol to look forward to in just a few hours time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just wanted to pop in here and say thank you to everyone for your comments, kudos, and continued support. It's greatly appreciated!


	10. Chapter 10

“Where’s your costume?”

Sanji looks up from stirring the soup to find Nami standing in the kitchen doorway munching on a cracker she pilfered from the table. She’s dressed in a tight black body suit that makes his pulse quicken. His gaze linges a few seconds too long, causing her to roll her eyes, “Black Widow from the Avengers.”

“I knew that. Luffy made us watch that movie a million times. You look absolutely stunning,” he gushes. And he truly means it; the costume works well with her red hair and she’s done her make up a little heavier than usual. 

Nami responds with a playful smile, “Flattery will get you everywhere. So, where’s your costume?”

Shrugging, Sanji turns to check on the food in the oven. With everything that has been going on, he really didn’t have time to plan and shop for a costume. Feeling Nami’s eyes on his back, he gives her a cheeky grin. “I’m Robin’s personal chef.”

“Lame. Guess you’ll be the only one without a costume!,” Nami proclaims before leaving the room giggling. Sanji isn’t sure how to feel about that exit but doesn’t contemplate it too long as he busies himself once more with completing the cooking and food arrangement. 

Setting the large vat of soup on the table next to the stack of bowls and spoons, he takes a step back and admires his spread. It’d been too long since he really challenged himself in his cooking and he’s satisfied to see he’s managed to succeed in making Robin’s party delicacies absolutely perfect. Out of the corner of his eye he notices Franky enter the room in full costume, which causes Sanji to laugh. 

“A bit cliché, don’t you think?” he snickers. 

Franky frowns and reaches for a snack, “’Frankystein’s a classic. I wear this every year.”

Sanji opens his mouth to tease “Frankystein” a bit more but is distracted by Robin descending from the stairs dressed up in a beautiful purple dress, outfit complete with a witch’s hat. Unable to control himself, he showers her in compliments because she looks absolutely amazing. 

“How is Frankenstein cliché but a witch isn’t?” Franky mutters to himself before walking over and giving Robin a chaste kiss. Sanji can’t help but feel a pang of jealousy, not because he wants Robin but rather, he wants what they have. Happiness together. Instead, he’s here alone with Zoro in California reviving an old flame. 

Clearing his throat, he twists back to the table and begins tweaking his arrangement. As a firm believer that people eat with their eyes just as much as they eat with their stomachs, he wants to make sure everything looks perfect before the guests arrive. Just as he finishes up, he hears the doorbell ring and the sound of Luffy yelling “Trick or treat!”

Sanji turns to greet his friends but finds his jaw dropping as the entire assembly of the Avengers pour into Robin’s living room. Luffy’s Iron Man mask bobs up and down on his face as he bounds into the open space, his costume finished with a pair of sandals; Chopper proudly holds Thor’s hammer and swishes his cape around flauntingly; a bow is slung over Usopp’s shoulder to perfect his Hawkeye ensemble. Nami appears from the back porch and joins them, making the group almost complete. Sanji grins at his friends, impressed with their efforts.

“This is for you,” Usopp says and tosses a bag to Sanji. He raises an eyebrow and looks inside to find a Captain America t-shirt and mask. Looking back up, he catches his friends beaming at him.

“Did ya think we’d forget you?” Luffy laughs. Sanji’s speechless, unsure of how to thank his friends for remembering to include him, especially since he’s been such a selfish prick lately. Before he can stutter out a single word of gratitude, he’s instantly reminded of how annoying they all are as Luffy and Usopp lunge for the buffet table.

“Back off! Wait ‘til other guests arrive, damnit!” he barks out, causing them to stop in their tracks and stare longingly at the arrangement.

“But… your food is so good…” Luffy whines.

“There better not be a single crumb out of place when I get back from changing or else,” Sanji threatens as he heads to the bathroom but the smirk he’s sporting keeps the edge out of his voice. 

In a flash, he’s changed into his ‘costume’ and carefully lays his old shirt and vest across the bed of the guest room down the hall. Excitement bubbling in his chest for how great the evening is going to be, there’s an extra pep in his step as he saunters up the hall to rejoin everyone. However, he slows his pace as he hears a small sad voice from the living room.

“I just wish Zoro was here… he would’ve been the Hulk and then we’d be complete.”

Sanji stops in his tracks as he listens to his friends murmur in agreement with Chopper. Sanji expects to feel guilty but instead finds himself absolutely enraged. Just because he and Zoro had a falling out doesn’t mean it’s okay for Zoro to just abandon everyone else like this. Their breaking up is one thing, but its as though the idiot has broken up with everyone else, too. 

“Well, I talked to him the other day and he said wished he could’ve come and seen how great your costume is.” 

Immediately, Sanji feels like he’s been kicked in the chest. Did Luffy just say he talked to Zoro? He actually made contact with the mosshead? For the first time in days, Sanji tears into his pocket and pulls out his phone, quickly unlocking it and scrolling to ‘Mossy’ in his contacts. Holding his breath, he presses the call button and brings the phone to his ear, expecting to hear that redundant error message once again.

But he doesn’t.

The phone fucking rings.

And rings. 

And rings.

“The person you’re trying to reach is not available. Please leave a message at the tone.”

Sanji pulls the device away and stares at it for a second before turning and walking a little deeper into the hallway. In an urgent hushed tone, he manages to sound as threatening as possible, “Listen up asshole, you’ve been avoiding me for days. Fucking call me back, bye.”

He presses the call end button and just stares at the screen. Zoro’s phone actually works and he left a message for him. The asshole better call him back so they can sort their shit out. Even if they are broken up and Zoro’s moved on, they need to talk about the apartment and Zoro’s things.

“Sanji, what’s taking so long?” Nami calls out, causing him to quickly shove his phone back into his pocket.

“Coming!” he calls back, smoothing his shirt and adjusting the mask on his head, taking a deep breath to calm his nerves. He can’t fucking believe he was actually able to get through to Zoro’s voicemail.

“Hurry up, I’ve got wine!”

Sanji reappears into the living room from the hallway and his friends chatter in approval of his costume. He beams proudly at them and graciously accepts a glass of merlot that Nami’s poured for him. Gulping it down a little too hastily, Sanji resolves to focus on getting drunk as quickly as possible in order to forget about all his personal drama for the evening.

Setting his glass down, he looks at Nami with a mischievous grin, “Why are we drinking wine when we could be doing shots?”

Nami gives him a puzzled look before adorning a challenging smirk, “Let’s fucking party!”

 

xXx

 

The crowd of people stuffed into Franky and Robin’s house is borderline alarming. All of Franky’s shipyard buddies have shown up and are drunkenly singing Journey songs, accompanied by Brook on his mobile keyboard and Franky on air guitar. Ace and Marco showed up and are entertaining Usopp, and Chopper with stories of their recent travels. A group of girls, including Robin and Nami, are sitting at the dining room table sharing bottles of wine and giggling with each one another. Luffy is hurriedly dragging his friend Law between the groups of people to make sure he’s introduced him to everyone. 

Sanji takes another swig of his gin and smiles to himself, happy and drunk. Everyone devoured his meal with gusto and he received a ton of praise on his cooking, especially from the shipwrights whom Sanji suspects don’t receive home cooking regularly. He’d managed to dance with every single woman in attendance and he’s drunk almost an entire bottle of gin by himself. It’s been a fucking great night.

Suddenly he feels a vibration in his pocket and he jumps slightly, not expecting his phone to ring. Fumbling to answer without even looking to see who it is, he slurs, “Hullo?”

“Are you drunk, eggplant?”

The fucking geezer, of course. The old man always likes to call on holidays and check up on him. “Been drinking a little, yeah. Whatcha want, shitty old fart?”

“Are you driving home tonight?”

Sanji rolls his eyes. The old man means well but Sanji’s getting a bit old for this routine. Ever since he moved out on his own, Zeff always tries to make sure Sanji doesn’t drink and drive. Exasperatedly, he replies, “No, I’m crashing at Robin’s.”

“Good.”

Sanji chuckles to himself as the call ends without a goodbye. Tucking his phone back into his pocket, he’s surprised when he looks up and realizes someone’s taken a seat next to him while he was distracted. 

“Was that your old man?”

Sanji laughs and pours himself another glass of gin, “How’d ya guess?”

“The ‘shitty old fart’ bit.”

Sanji smiles at Ace and offers him the bottle of gin but Ace waves it away, “Gotta drive home later.”

They sit in amicable silence, watching the party from the sideline. Marco seems to become involved in a deep conversation with one of Franky’s buddies. Marco dabbles in some business with boats so Sanji assumes Ace just got bored with the work talk. Sanji sips his drink slowly, numb to the burning. He’s torn from his tranquility when he hears Ace clear his throat.

“So… are things better now?”

“What do you mean?”

“You know… you and Zoro and all that. Did you get your peace of mind?”

Sanji frowns into his glass and finishes it in one gulp. He was hoping everyone would tiptoe around the subject of Zoro tonight. It had worked until now. He pulls the Captain America mask off his head and runs his fingers through his hair, smoothing his bangs. Unsure if it’s the alcohol talking or just his weariness from weeks of keeping secrets, Sanji can’t help but blurt out, “I think he left me for someone else.”

Ace stares at him for a second before bursting into laughter. Sanji pours himself another drink silently while Ace hushes into a fit of giggles. Wiping a tear from his eye, he manages to choke out “Oh man, I don’t mean to laugh at you but that’s fucking ridiculous. Zoro would never-“

“He would and he has,” Sanji cuts him off sardonically. 

Ace nervously chews on his bottom lip and reaches over, gently taking Sanji’s drink out of his hand. Sanji lets him take it, focusing on forcing down the lump in his throat instead. Staring at his hand where his drink once was, he spies a scar on his knuckles. The scar he caused the night Zoro left. Emotions come pouring back, the guilt, the shame, the hurt expression on Zoro’s face. 

“I did something really bad…” he whispers, unable to keep himself from letting the words escape. “I cheated on him.”

Ace abruptly stands up and yanks Sanji out of his chair and towards the back patio. Miraculously, its empty and Sanji lets Ace shove him out the door and into one of the lawn chairs. Sanji stares at the ground, unsure of what to say. He hadn’t expected to ever tell anyone else what he did. 

“Tell me exactly what happened.”

Sanji nods and pulls his cigarettes out of his pocket, tipping one into his palm. In a swift motion, he has it lit and he takes a long drag, letting the smoke burn in his lungs before exhaling.

“I was at a bar… Zoro was out of town. I was drunk, there was this woman… it was a mistake, okay?”

Sanji raises his head and meets Ace’s eyes for the first time since he made his admission. Surprisingly, there was no judgment, no anger. Just concern and confusion. Ace frowns and crosses his arms, taking a seat in the chair opposite of Sanji’s. He ponders for a moment and questions, “But why?”

Sanji shrugs, tapping his ashes into an empty can that was left outside by a previous guest. It’s a question he’d been asking himself repeatedly ever since Zoro left. “I guess ‘cause I’m an idiot.”

“No, really, why?”

Sanji swallows thickly and puts his face in his hands, careful to keep his cigarette away from his bangs. He groans and shakes his head, “I guess I just didn’t feel like he cared about me as much as I cared about him.”

“You really are an idiot.”

Sanji looks up and much to his surprise, Ace has a shit-eating grin plastered across his face. Sanji just told the guy the biggest secret of his life and he actually has the audacity to be grinning? Angry, Sanji smashes his cigarette into his makeshift ashtray and barks out, “What’s so fucking funny?”

“I just can’t believe your stupidity. Zoro cares about you more than anything else. You’re like, his entire world.”

Sanji feels like he’s going to throw up. Was it really that obvious to everyone else? Even Ace, who hasn’t been around the past year or so? He grits his teeth, “Yeah, I’m starting to figure that out. It’s too late, though. Zoro’s moved on.”

Ace listens attentively as Sanji explains his trip to Johnny and Yosaku’s and about Zoro gallivanting off to California with his ex. As Sanji re-hashes his story, he feels the burden of the last few weeks being lifted off of him. It feels so good to finally be able to tell someone what’s been going on with him and he couldn’t ask for a better friend than Ace right now.

As his tale winds down, Ace nods solemnly and quietly mulls things over for a moment before musing, “It just doesn’t seem like Zoro would do that…”

Sanji shrugs and lights another cigarette, “What other explanation is there?”

Ace taps his chin in concentration and searches the sky as if it holds the answer he needs. “Maybe its not who you think it is? Does he know anyone else that fits that description?”

Sanji blows smoke rings and really tries to concentrate but he can’t come up with anyone else that Zoro may know down in Cali. He’s shaken from his thoughts with the snap of Ace’s fingers.

“What’s that gothic girl’s name? The really weird one?”

“Perona?”

Ace jumps out of his chair excitedly, “Yeah! That girl! Weren’t her and Zoro close in school? She’s got pink hair.”

Sanji ponders it for a moment before scowling, “Yeah, she does but she’s in Seattle for art school.”

“No she’s not,” a voice pipes up from behind Sanji. He looks over his shoulder to find Nami standing in front of the sliding glass door with her hands on her hips. Sanji’s heart jumps to his throat. How long was she standing there?

As though she read his thoughts, Nami saunters over and towers over him, hands still firmly planted on her hips. “I heard the whole thing Sanji and what you did to Zoro is just awful.”

Sanji looks at Ace in betrayal but Ace dodges his glance, confirming to Sanji that the fucker knew she was there the whole time. Nami sighs exasperatedly and sits down in Ace’s abandoned chair. “Perona finished school like six months ago. Remember she moved to California with her girlfriend?”

Sanji shakes his head. He doesn’t remember at all. Counting back mentally, six months ago was around April. The fog in his head lifts and he realizes that was when the restaurant was going under a big remodeling project to their dining room. Sanji’s work stress was sky high because the geezer was not happy with the contractors and he kept trying to kick them out even though they were already paid for. He fuzzily remembers Zoro going to help his friend move one weekend. It must’ve been her. 

“Shit.”

Nami leans over and slaps him on the back of the head. Rubbing the sore spot, he figures he deserved it and keeps any protests silent. She huffs and turns to Ace, “I think Marco is looking for you. He came to the door but I shooed him away.”

Ace nods and places a comforting hand on Sanji’s shoulder. “You’ll figure out what to do,” he says with a reassuring squeeze before making his way back inside.

Sanji feels absolutely embarrassed that Nami knows what he did. He didn’t want any of his friends to know this about him but especially not Nami. He always tries so hard to keep his reputation with the girls high. Now her opinion of him must be completely soiled.

“You need to make things right with Zoro,” she says with a scowl. Sanji nods sheepishly, well aware of how much of an idiot he’s been. She searches his face for a few seconds more before her expression softens and she leans over and scoops him into a hug. Sanji melts into the hug and he squeezes her back, glad to be receiving her silent support.

“I won’t tell anyone but I expect you to keep me updated on this,” Nami commands as she pulls away.

“I will,” he agrees quickly, utterly grateful that she’s willing to keep this whole thing quiet.

She leans back into the chair, tucking a leg under her. Sanji notices this as a cue that the conversation isn’t over and pulls his cigarette pack out of his pocket again. Before he can light one though, Nami sheepishly asks, “Do you mind if I have one of those?”

Raising an eyebrow, Sanji nods and hands her one, lighting it for her. She takes a slow drag and exhales out into the darkness. Sanji lights his own cigarette and patiently waits for her to say whatever is on her mind. Tapping her ashes with a dainty, manicured finger Nami speaks quietly, “I think Usopp is in love with me.”

Sanji grins around his smoke and snickers, “Of course he is, you know that.”

“Yeah but I mean, I think he has real feelings. Not just a high school crush, y’know?” 

“Is there a problem with that?” Sanji asks, slightly perplexed. 

Nami offers him her cigarette, indicating she’s done with it and shrugs with an awkward smile. “I guess it’s weird because I think I feel the same.”

Sanji raises his eyebrows in surprise, puffing away on her half finished cigarette. He can taste her lip-gloss on the end of it, tastes slightly of strawberries. He knew they flirted but he always though Nami just liked the attention. He didn’t know she actually had feelings for him. “Isn’t that good news, then?”

“I don’t know!” she huffs frustrated, throwing her hands up into the air. “Won’t it be weird? What if it doesn’t work out? I don’t want to lose friends over this.”

Sanji suddenly understands why she came to him about this. He had the same exact thoughts when he and Zoro first got together. He smirks to himself as he recalls that he had almost this same exact conversation with Nami back then. If he remembers correctly, she told him to just go for it. And here they are two years later, tables completely turned.

He reaches over and pats her leg gently, giving her a warm smile. “If it doesn’t work out, it doesn’t work out. You’ll still be friends.”

“Are you sure?” she murmurs, her brown eyes searching his for affirmation. 

He nods sharply and gives her a cheeky grin, “If he hurts you, I’ll kick his ass.”

Nami laughs heartily and kicks him slightly, “I’m more afraid I’d be the one to hurt him.”

They chuckle together into the darkness, the cool air chilling their breath to a fog. Nami’s smile swiftly fades as she groans, “Oh, I’m sorry. Here I am talking to you about my bullshit when you’re dealing with Zoro and everything.”

Sanji shakes his head and reassures her, “It’s fine. I’m glad to have something else to think about than my own bullshit.”

Giving him a soft smile, she stands and leans over to plant a soft kiss on his forehead. Turning to head back into the house, she stops briefly before the door and calls over her shoulder, “You better fix things with Zoro.”

“I will.”

The door slides gently shut behind her and Sanji stretches his long legs in front of him. He checks his cell phone to see if he has any missed calls from Zoro but of course he doesn’t. Tapping his phone against his chin, he wonders if he should wait for Zoro to call him back or see if he can just find Perona’s information himself. At the rate things have been going, if he waits for Zoro he will end up waiting forever. Sanji grunts and stands up, his earlier drunkenness causing him to sway slightly. 

Flipping his phone in his hand, he decides to go ahead and try to call Zoro one more time. Putting it on speaker, he listens to the ringing echo into the night and once again, the voicemail recording and tone play. 

Licking his dry lips, Sanji mumbles quietly into the speaker, “Hey, it’s me. I’m sorry. Please come home.”


	11. Chapter 11

“Can I get a double shot of Fireball?”

The bartender nodded and went to pour the drink. Sanji took a seat on a stool at the furthest edge of the bar. He’d never been to this joint. It was a small, cluttered, and kind of dusty hole in the wall that he slipped into on a whim. The most important thing was that with one glance around, he didn’t see a single soul he recognized. He had the whole weekend to himself and yet the last thing he wanted to do was talk to anyone he knew.

The bartender set the shot before him and raised an eyebrow. Sanji nodded his head and the bartender moved on, the unspoken conversation meaning to keep Sanji’s tab open. It was early in the night and Sanji knew he’d need plenty more drinks to wash away the heaviness he felt.

It was a Saturday night and normally he’d be at the Baratie sweating in the kitchen with Zeff and other chefs. Not tonight, though. Or tomorrow, either. He had managed to get the whole weekend off for a romantic retreat with Zoro. They hadn’t had time for each other the last couple weeks, mostly because of work or events with friends. They’d been around each other but hadn’t really spent time together and Sanji had come up with the great idea to have a nice weekend in. 

It was all planned out – movies were rented, ingredients for dinner already purchased, and he had stocked up on wine and beer. The preparations were so complete the two of them could wake up Saturday morning and not have to leave the house again until work on Monday. Hell, a part of him hoped they wouldn’t really even need to leave their bed. Sanji had been so excited to have this small getaway that he didn’t even mind that he ended up running all the errands by himself Friday night after work. However, the whole plan went to shit when Zoro came home later that night.

“Gonna be leaving tomorrow for a training conference with Luffy,” Zoro grumbled as he climbed into bed.

“What training conference?” Sanji asked, startled that he hadn’t heard about it before. He was sure that Zoro’s calendar was clear this weekend; he even had Zoro move around some appointments so that they’d both be free.

“Karate conference. Luffy asked me to go with.”

Taken aback, Sanji had no idea what to say. Zoro didn’t even teach Karate – that was Luffy’s gig. There was no reason for Zoro to go.

“What about our weekend together?” 

Zoro shrugged, “I told Luffy I’d go.”

And with that, the other man rolled over and almost immediately Sanji heard the sound of his breathing settle into soft snores. Hurt swelled up in his throat but he forced himself to swallow it down. Just like that, the weekend was ruined. He thought it would have been nice to actually get to spend time together and reconnect but apparently Zoro didn’t feel the same. He tried to roll over and fall asleep but it eluded him and he spent most of the night tossing and turning, only managing to be pulled under in the early hours of the morning.

Sanji woke up to an empty bed. Zoro and his duffle bag were out of sight. Sprawling out, he stared at the ceiling, trying not to let the disappointment ruin his day completely. Deciding to get on with the day, he got up and went through the normal routine. When he made his way into the kitchen, he found a note pinned to the fridge. 

See you after conference.

That was it.

Sanji gulped down the rest of his whiskey and waved at the waiter for another. As he waited, he reached into his pants pocket and pulled out the crumpled up piece of paper. Zoro’s scrawl was thin and small, but easy to read. Just four words. That’s how much Sanji mattered to the shitty bastard. Four fucking words to sum up their ruined romantic getaway. No apologies. No explanation. Nothing.

Sanji turned the note in his fingers, silently tracing each letter with his thumb. He wasn’t sure what to do from here. No matter what, he just couldn’t figure out where he fit in Zoro’s picture. A piece of him felt like maybe he didn’t belong there at all.

Four double shots of whiskey later, one for each word on the note, and Sanji was feeling it. But the spicy liquor still hadn’t managed to warm up the chill he felt inside. He felt lonely and a man in a committed relationship for almost two years shouldn’t feel lonely. But the more he thought about it, the less sure he was that Zoro wanted what he did. 

Upon reflection, Zoro didn’t really want to live together in the beginning, he made that much clear. It took some cajoling from Sanji to convince him to sign the paperwork. He never told Sanji how he felt. Anytime Sanji tried to talk to him about it, they’d end up sweaty in bed but the conversation was never completed. And now more than ever, it felt like maybe they were just fuck buddies that he got too wrapped up in

The lights suddenly dimmed, startling Sanji in his drunken state. He crumpled up the paper and shoved it back in his pants pocket. The crowd started clapping and cheering as loud, sultry jazz music began billowing from the speakers. He noticed a stage in the back of the bar he hadn’t seen before and spotlights lit up as the jazz band played. A beautiful dark haired woman stood to the side of the stage and danced along to the music, her polka dot dress flowing seamlessly with the rhythm.

Entranced by the dancer’s beauty, Sanji watched her sway with the music, her eyes closed and body overcome by the jazzy tunes. He lost track of time and before he knew it, the bar was emptying out around him and yet he still sat there, watching and staring the goddess up on stage finish her last song. The few of them left clapped and cheered for her and Sanji was surprised that when she stood up from her bow, her deep hazel eyes locked in on his. 

The chill in his chest was gone.

The band and the gorgeous dancer disappeared into the shadows off stage and Sanji sat back and blinked for a few minutes. The liquor had fogged up his mind and he glanced at his watch, surprised to see that two hours had passed by since he last checked it. He flagged down the waiter and hastily paid his tab, needing to get to the cool night air for a refreshing smoke and to hopefully dry up the sweat that built up under his collar while watching the vixen dance across the stage.

Cabs lined up in front of the bar, waiting for drunk patrons to fill them for their late night rides home. Sanji strolled past the noise and turned the corner of the brick building while lighting his smoke. Slowing his speed, he spotted a polka dot dress up ahead, the woman from earlier leaned against the wall near a back entrance. Once again, he found his eyes locked with hers and suddenly he felt the wind knocked out his chest, as if she was staring right into his soul.

“I hope you liked the show.”

Sanji almost melted at the sound of her voice, smooth and soft like a purr with a faint accent that he couldn’t discern in his drunkenness. He stopped in his tracks a few feet from her and puffed on his cigarette, taking her figure in. She was more breathtaking up close and Sanji could feel all too familiar warmth pooling in his lower stomach and groin.

“You were wonderful,” Sanji replied carefully, trying not to let his words slur. 

“Why thank you,” she said with a small smirk, “I’m Violet. I’m not from here so I’m not sure what to do with the rest of my night. Do you live around here?” 

Sanji nodded, exhaling a cloud of smoke out of corner of his mouth, careful not to blow any towards her. She was so fucking beautiful and he didn’t want to ruin any part of that with the stench of his cigarette.

“I’m Sanji,” he said dumbly, unable to find any other words to say. He shoved his hand into his pockets and felt his fingertips brush against a crumpled bit of paper. A small surge of anger welled up inside of him but he pushed it down. He had spent too much time already wallowing over that asshole. It was pretty obvious that they weren’t on the same page anyway. He heard a small cough and was instantly brought back to the moment with this beautiful woman, who was precariously eyeing him up and down in a way that he hadn’t experienced in a long time.

Violet pushed herself off the wall and sauntered closer to Sanji, closer than he expected. He wanted to pull away at the sudden closeness but felt like his shoes were cemented to the sidewalk beneath him. He watched her delicate hand leisurely leave her side and pluck the cigarette out from between his lips. She took a long drag and blew the smoke right back in his face, causing him to lean in and inhale out of instinct. 

“Maybe you can show me where you live?"

Sanji rubs his eyes furiously, trying to get rid of the stinging as the memories of that night played before them. Hands shaking, he rips into his breast pocket and grabs his pack of smokes, tipping one out and lighting it immediately. The soothing burn fills his lungs and he sighs, exhaling slowly to try to calm himself down. 

Thoughts of their friends laughing together at the beach trickle into his mind. Usopp and Chopper chasing Zoro with water guns, Sanji lounging lazily in the sun. He had smiled to himself as Zoro stopped running and grabbed each one of them underarm, dragging them both deeper into the ocean. This soft side of Zoro was what Sanji loved most about the other man. Rich and robust laughter could be heard over the shrieks and giggles of Usopp and Chopper, causing Sanji’s heart to swell even more in adoration.

Sanji shakes his head violently, trying to get rid of the image of Zoro’s smiling face.

The sensation of a strong, tanned hand gripping his throat rushes into his memory and he closes his eyes, wishing he could feel it again. Zoro on top of him, thrusting all of himself into Sanji and making him whole. Zoro’s fingers clenching his throat; it was so primal and animalistic, he knew it drove Zoro wild the have that kind of control. Sanji loved knowing that he made the other man crazy in bed and that any little instigation could make Zoro fuck him even harder. What he would give now to just have one more night of that kind of carnal bliss. 

In an instant, he feels the car jolt and swerve. His eyes fly open – he didn’t realize he had kept them closed for so long. He almost wishes he hadn’t opened them, as he finds himself on the wrong side of the road, his car having drifted over when he wasn’t paying attention. Right in front of him is a large SUV, horn blaring at him and he’s so close he can see the panic in the other driver’s face. Terrified, Sanji grips both hands on the wheel and jerks it as hard as he can to get out of the way but he doesn’t have enough time. The car skids on the asphalt, sliding to the side and he finds the driver’s door right in the way of the SUV. 

He doesn’t have any time to react before the impact and the sound of metal crunching against machine fills his ears. His body jerks forward, his head hits the dash, and everything goes black.

xXx

The hum of sirens plays in the distance. It sounds faint and diluted, almost as though the noise is coming from underwater. His head is pounding and he tries to lift his hand to feel his temple but his body isn’t listening to him. He feels a warm, gloved hand press against his and he thinks he can hear a man talking to him but he’s not sure. All he knows is that his head is throbbing and his body aches. He wants so badly to sit up and see what’s going on but no matter how hard he tries, his muscles won’t listen to him. 

Sanji tries to open his eyes but he’s too groggy, unable to even crack them a sliver. Despite the heaviness in his eyelids, his body feels weightless and it suddenly occurs to him that he’s being picked up and placed onto some kind of bed. The bed starts shaking and it dawns on him that he’s moving again. Almost like some kind of cart or stretcher.

The accident.

Sanji feels his heart start pounding as the SUV, the sound of metal crunching, and the pain in his body rushes to his consciousness. The voices around him start humming louder and he tries to force his eyes open, only to be met with a blinding white light. Overwhelmed by the activity around him, Sanji squeezes his eyes closed again and allows himself to succumb to the darkness.

xXx

Sanji jolts awake, unwilling to open his eyes but swiftly aware that he’s somewhere that’s not home. He’s in bed but he has that strange feeling that you only get when you’re in a bed that’s not your own. He tries to stretch his back but feels tightness in his chest with each movement. Deciding that the pain isn’t worth the pleasure of a good stretch, he abandons his mission and moves on to wiggling each finger and toe. 

The toes are fine and so is his right hand, but his left hand is stiff and he has a hard time moving his fingers. His head aches and with every second, he becomes more and more aware of his discomfort. Desperately needing to examine his condition, Sanji fights back the sleepiness that still weighs on him and peeks open his eyes.

He’s definitely in a bed and given the IV he spots immediately out of his right arm, he’s in a hospital bed. A white cotton blanket covers him but he can see he has bandages wrapped around his chest. He glances at his left arm and cringes to see it in a cast from the elbow to his hand. 

Blinking the sleep out of his eyes, Sanji surveys the room from corner to corner. The door is on the opposite wall with a couple chairs and small table near it. Sink, trash can, medical equipment – all what you’d expect to see in a normal hospital room. A table to his left catches his attention as it has a black zip up hoodie slung over it that looks vaguely familiar. An empty chair is pulled up beside it; obvious someone had previously taken vigil there.

Sanji smiles to himself, glad to know someone is aware of his condition. He had been on his way to the California border when he’d lost control of the car. He wasn’t sure if anyone even knew where he was or where he was going. Mulling it over, he concludes it’s probably Zeff – that’s who he has on his phone as his medical alert. 

Biting his lower lip, he looks at the cast. Nothing special about it, it looks to be a typical broken arm. Sighing, he turns his head back to the table by him and stares at the black jacket, reaching to the far corners of his memory trying to discern where he’d seen it before. If it’s that vague, then it must be Zeff’s.

The rush and hubbub of hospital life can be heard outside his door. Glancing around his bed, he tries to locate the nurse call button, wondering if he needs to alert anyone that he’s awake. Hearing footsteps in the hall, he pauses and watches the door, hoping a doctor or nurse will peek their head in. His muscles are aching and the thought of having to lift his arms to press buttons is borderline unbearable. 

A shadow fills the door and in walks an all too familiar figure, green hair tousled and a stupid look of concentration on his face as he stares down at some kind of granola bar, trying to tear off the wrapping. A part of Sanji wants to laugh – the idiot always had trouble opening his snacks. Sanji always chided him for being about as useful as a three year old.

Sanji’s breath hitches, causing Zoro’s eye to look up and catch his own. Staring for a moment, the tension becomes intolerable and Sanji has to look away, dumbstruck and unsure of what to do or say next. For weeks he’d been chasing after this man and wanting nothing more to be in his presence again. Now that he’s here, it feels alien, as though they were just meeting each other again for the first time.

Deciding to let Zoro take the lead, Sanji stares at a frayed edge of his blanket within reach and fiddles with the threads. He hears Zoro shuffle from the door to the seat by his bed, the wooden legs creaking slightly under his weight. The granola bar is set on the table with a small rustle, and the breathing of the other man is as silent as usual. Continuing to focus on the small wisps of cotton between his finger tips, Sanji is stunned when a large tan hand reaches over and covers his own, stopping his fiddling and forcing Sanji to look – he has to look – back up at Zoro.

Expression unreadable, as usual, Zoro’s leaned in, head close and staring right at Sanji. He feels a small shiver go down his spine; the guy can be so intense at times. Allowing himself to make eye contact once more, Sanji winces as he sees concern in Zoro’s dark eye. The burden of how fucked up this whole situation is weighs down on his shoulders and Sanji can feel himself breaking under the weight.

“Zoro, I –, “ he begins, but is quickly cut off by a sharp shake of Zoro’s head. 

“Tell me why.”

Frowning, Sanji looks away and back at the blanket before him. This was the question he’d hoped Zoro wouldn’t ask. He could easily answer who, what, when, and where but why was a whole other beast. But he’s not surprised, the biggest monster is always the one Zoro wants to defeat.

“I was drunk and stupid. I thought it was over,” he mumbles softly, acutely aware of Zoro’s hand still on his, tan thumb tracing the backs of his pale, cold fingers. “The way you left like that, I figured you just didn’t care anymore. I’m sorry.”

Zoro leans forward more, resting his chin on the fall rail on the side of the hospital bed. His presence softens. Sanji glances over and sees his eyes are closed, taking in what had just been revealed. Now more than ever, Sanji wishes he had a fucking cigarette.

After what feels like an eternity, Zoro opens his eye and sits up, pulling away and leaning back in his chair. Immediately, Sanji’s fingers are cold and missing the presence of Zoro’s hand on his. Zoro sighs and scratches his neck before crossing his arms. 

“And that’s my fault.”

It’s more of a statement than a question but it doesn’t make sense. Here he is, admitting to Zoro why he did what he did and Zoro is just staring at him, no anger or sadness written on his face. It reminds him of when he first told Zoro about it so many nights ago and how the man didn’t even react – just walked away. He feels panic rise in his chest again, the need to explain everything becoming more desperate. He doesn’t want to lose the opportunity and have Zoro walk away again. Sanji looks forward, not wanting Zoro to see the pain on his face. Balling his blanket in his fist, his voice cracks as he tries to maintain composure, “No, it’s mine. It’s fucked up and there’s no excuse. I was drunk but I still crossed a line. I shouldn’t have –“

“Shouldn’t have made you feel like that, Sanji.” 

Head and heart aching, Sanji doesn’t want to risk any tears spilling over so he continues to keep watch on the door. 

“Yeah, it was fucked up,” Zoro continues, tone even but Sanji can tell he’s being completely candid and open, “but I’ve had time to think. I was fucked up, too.”

A screaming silence hinges upon Zoro’s words. Sanji doesn’t want to breathe. Hope dances within reach and he’s too scared to grab it. Maybe they can actually move past this. Maybe it’s not the end. But then again, how could Zoro ever love him after he’s done something so unforgivable? Tired of assumptions and the tornado that’s overturned his mind for what’s been possibly the worst month of his life, Sanji decides it’s time to take the plunge.

“What does this mean for us?”

Unexpectedly, a loud crash can be heard from the hallway outside of their room. Zoro hops up from his chair and is at the door in three long strides, peering out to see what the commotion is. Jovial laughter can be heard coming down the hall and Zoro turns back to Sanji, an apologetic look on his face. Their conversation will have to finish later. He barely has time to blink back the tears that were threatening his eyes before Luffy appears at Zoro’s side in the doorway, with a shit-eating grin on his face and hat askew on his head.

“You’re awake!” he yells and bounds to the bedside to give Sanji a hug. The ache in Sanji’s arms prevents him from giving Luffy a proper hug but the sentiment is appreciated. Luffy pulls up another chair as he chatters away and Sanji watches Zoro roll his eye and take his a seat back in his own.

“So yeah, the drive here was nuts. I can see how you wrecked Zoro’s car, Sanji. The roads are full of potholes,” Luffy babbles, causing confusion in both himself and also Zoro, as can be read from the other man’s furrowed eyebrows.

“Uh, Luffy, how did you get here?” Sanji asks, well aware that the other man doesn’t drive and that he was about two hours outside of their city when he got into his accident.

“Oh!” Luffy laughs, “Ace brought me. He’s parking the car, should be up here any minute. I kinda hopped out when I saw the entrance.”

Sanji shakes his head with a smile as Zoro punches Luffy lightly in the shoulder. Leave it to him to barrel roll out of a moving vehicle while in front of a hospital.

“I’m glad you’re here, Zoro.” Luffy’s tone changes immediately into something more serious. Zoro nods and glances at Sanji, gifting him with a small smile.

“Got a call from insurance since they were contacted about my car. Perona called around to hospitals in the area and that’s when we found out about this idiot.”

Sanji privately sighs in relief, happy to hear Zoro confirm that he was with Perona and not anyone else. He feels like such a moron for assuming Zoro was with Bonney. He might even have to apologize to Johnny and Yosaku for being such an asshole.

“Hey, wait. Who are you calling an idiot?”

“You, idiot. Why were you driving my car? At the California border?” Zoro demands. Sanji feels a slight blush tinge his cheeks.

“You just left it there. Figured I’d take it for a spin, mossy.”

“Don’t call me that, shithead.”

“You guys are funny,” Luffy says with a laugh, pulling his old flip phone from his pocket and answering it. Must’ve been on vibrate because Sanji didn’t hear the obnoxious ring tone.

“Hey, what room is this?” Luffy asks. Sanji shrugs – he has no idea where he is. It dawns on him that he’s been so caught up in Zoro’s presence that he never called the nurse. He lifts his arm, his muscles stinging. 

“411” Zoro answers for him, noticing Sanji’s movement he reaches over to press the nurse call button for him. Sanji nods at him in thanks as Luffy hangs up the phone.

“Ace is on his way up,” he tells them. They pause for a minute as a nurse comes in, a middle aged blonde woman. She checks Sanji’s vitals and asks him how he’s feeling. Little notes on a clipboard later and Sanji’s IV is hooked up with some painkillers. 

As the nurse makes her swift exit, Ace appears in the doorway. He spots Zoro and immediately sports a wide grin, before giving a small wave.

“What’s up, everyone?” he asks, taking off his hat and tossing it on the small table by the door. He walks over to Sanji’s bed and leans in to hug him. 

“Told you he’d be back,” he whispers in Sanji’s ear with a squeeze.

Ace stands back up and leans against the wall, giving Luffy a dirty glare for ripping Zoro’s abandoned granola bar open with his teeth.

“So, how ya feeling?” he asks, eyeing the IV drip in Sanji’s arm. 

“I’m sore as shit and I need a fucking cigarette.”

Ace laughs at pushes himself off the wall, stealing the last chair available in the room and stretching out on it.

“You know you were on the news, dude.”

“Yeah, we saw it last night when we were eating dinner,” Luffy confirms, pieces of granola spitting out of his mouth as he talks. Zoro grabs the uneaten half of the bar from him and finishes it off. Those two are always so selfish with their food.

Sanji’s surprised, he didn’t know his wreck was such a big deal. To be honest, he wasn’t feeling completely there at the moment. Groggy memories of fading in and out of sleep remind him of just how injured he may really be.

“Do I have a concussion?” he asks, suddenly aware of how unaware he is of his condition. 

“Concussion, broken arm, bruising on your chest and sternum from the seatbelt,” Zoro replies, obviously the one who has been given all of his medical information. Sanji wonders just how long the other man had been at his bedside.

“My car is totaled,” Zoro adds, with a sharp look that makes Sanji feel like a reprimanded schoolboy. 

“Ah, well, at least you’re alive. The other guy didn’t get hurt at all,” Ace interjects. Sanji nods, relieved that no one else got hurt because of his stupidity. 

The painkillers are fogging his mind making him sleepy. Luffy is talking to Ace and Zoro about the wreck on the news but Sanji can feel himself slipping back into unconsciousness. Eyes blinking shut, Sanji feels a warm hand rest on his forehead before being pulled completely under. 

xXx

“You awake now?”

Sanji stirs, happy to feel his headache is finally gone. Blinking awake, he looks to his left and spots Ace sitting in the room alone.

“You passed out on us.”

Sanji goes to sit up but his chest still hurts. Must be from the bruising Zoro mentioned earlier. 

Zoro.

Sanji looks around the room wide-eyed, trying to find any trace that the green haired man is still there. Reassured, he spots Zoro’s black jacket still sitting on the table from earlier.

Ace follows Sanji’s gaze to the hoodie and catches on, “Zoro and Luffy went to the cafeteria for food.”

“How long have I been out?” Sanji rasps, his mouth and throat dry from his nap.

“Two hours or so.” Ace grabs a bottle of water he has sitting on the floor near his feet and offers it to Sanji, who gladly accepts. 

His parched lips feel baptized by the refreshing water and he greedily drinks it down, leaving the bottle empty. He knows Ace doesn’t mind, anyway.

“So did you talk to Zoro?” Ace asks, as nosy as ever. Sanji doesn’t mind – he knows that Ace means it in a brotherly way. He’s kind of the big brother to everyone in the group but Sanji feels he’s especially close to Ace, given the amount of time they spend together because of Zoro and Luffy.

“Yeah, we did. Not quite sure where we stand, to be honest.” Sanji reaches for the bed controls and sits his bed up, wincing at the pain of the motion but glad to be sitting up and feeling awake.

Ace scoffs, “He’s been at your bedside for literally 12 hours. You don’t know where you stand?”

A doctor raps on the door, introducing himself to Sanji and begins going over his vitals. Ace excuses himself to go find Zoro and his brother. About twenty minutes later and Sanji is cleared to leave the hospital. 

Zoro and Luffy reappear with Ace as Sanji sits on the side of the bed, his pants in his lap. He smirks at the group, “I can wear my own pants but my shirt is covered in glass.”

Zoro runs a hand through his hair and looks around the room, spotting his jacket on the table, “Take my hoodie. Ace, wanna pull around the car?” 

Ace nods and tugs Luffy along, leaving Zoro to help Sanji slide his pants back on, a task that would have been difficult alone given the tight bandages wrapped around his chest. Zoro also helps Sanji pull on his jacket over the cast on his arm, and zips it up for him. Of course, it’s fucking huge and swallows Sanji whole. He doesn’t mind, though. It’s warm and it smells like Zoro – something he’d been missing for a long time.

As Zoro kneels down to pull Sanji’s shoes on, Sanji taps his right hand on his knee, nervous about what happens after they step out of the hospital room door. 

“Where are we going to go?” he asks, trying to feel out what Zoro’s plans are. For all he knows, Zoro could be intending on going back with Perona.

Zoro finishes tugging Sanji’s shoe on and looks up at him, almost puzzled at his question. He stands up silently and gently helps Sanji stand up and stretch his long, aching legs. 

Sanji watches as Zoro looks him down once more, as if taking inventory on any other damage that might have been done. Satisfied with what he sees, Zoro tugs lightly on Sanji’s sleeve, pulling him close. He wraps his strong arms around Sanji in a tight hug and Sanji melts against the other man, glad to finally be back where he belongs. A rough finger pushes under his chin and Sanji looks up, only to have Zoro’s lips press against his own. A small, soft kiss is all it takes for Sanji to find himself completely dissolved. The moment passes and Zoro pulls away, nodding towards to the door with a smirk.

“C’mon, cook. Let’s go home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Thanks everyone for your patience with me on the final update of this fic. It's been a long journey and I hope you all enjoy. Also keep an eye out - I have another fic I've been planning out already. As always, your reviews and comments are appreciated and welcomed.


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